New Delhi, May 2
Union Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Saturday launched the Cell Broadcast Alert System aimed at sending real time emergency and natural disaster warnings directly to mobile phones across the country.
According to an official statement, the system has been developed indigenously by the Center for Development of Telematics in collaboration with the National Disaster Management Authority under the guidance of the Ministry of Home Affairs.
The Department of Telecommunications had conducted a nationwide trial of the service on April 29 and advised citizens in advance to ignore the test alerts to avoid panic. The message clarified that it was only a test of the new emergency warning system.
The alert system was deployed across all telecom networks in the country, with the exception of poll bound states.
The system is designed to transmit critical information related to disasters, emergencies, and public safety directly to mobile users within specific geographic areas. It uses Cell Broadcast technology, along with SMS-based alerts, to ensure rapid, wide coverage.
Officials said the platform is based on the Common Alerting Protocol recommended by the International Telecommunication Union. It is currently operational across all states and Union Territories and enables near real time delivery of alerts to citizens in affected areas.
The new system is expected to strengthen India’s emergency communication infrastructure by ensuring faster dissemination of warnings during natural disasters and other crisis situations.
