GUWAHATI: The Government of India has rolled out a Cell Broadcast system run by indigenous technology to deliver real-time disaster alerts directly to citizens’ mobile phones. On Saturday, May 2, the Centre sent out a siren alert notification to nearly all citizens around 11:42 AM as part of a system test.
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Authorities stated that several users across the country have already begun receiving “Extremely Severe Alerts” as part of a nationwide test of the system. The alerts, sent through mobile networks, are designed to instantly notify people about emergencies such as natural disasters or other critical situations.
Soon after the alert, the Department of Telecommunication posted on X: “A step forward in strengthening how we communicate during critical situations. The Department of Telecommunications, in coordination with key national agencies, is set to launch an advanced public alerting framework aimed at enabling timely communication during critical situations. This initiative reflects a continued commitment to building a more responsive and resilient communication ecosystem for citizens across the country.”
According to officials, no action is required from the public upon receiving these messages, as they are currently part of a testing phase. The alerts clearly mention that they are test messages issued by the Government of India.
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT), under the Ministry of Communications, is collaborating with the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to enhance mobile-based disaster communication systems across India, with the aim of ensuring timely alerts reach citizens during emergencies.
Saturday’s alert was part of this initiative.
As part of the effort, NDMA deployed the Integrated Alert System, known as SACHET, developed by the Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT), the telecom department’s R&D arm. The term “Sachet” literally means “alert.”
Once fully operational, the system is exected play a crucial role in strengthening disaster preparedness and response by providing timely warnings to citizens during emergencies.