Delhi govt’s trusted helplines make lives easier in lockdown

NEW DELHI: Helpline Calls and CATS calls, launched and monitored by the Delhi government, have turned out to be the most trusted helplines numbers during the COVID-19 lockdown I and II across the state.

Nearly 42,300 calls specifically regarding COVID-19 were received on both the helplines during 40 days period — from March 25 till May 3. Over 36,000 calls were monitored at control rooms while more than 6,000 calls by CATS.

The helpline calls having 10 numbers for COVID-19 and related queries have been launched state-wise by the government in order to solve the queries related to the infection.

Besides having individual numbers for a helpline for COVID-19 relief, 102 CATS calls and four separate numbers for ambulance calls were also setup by the government.

The concerned staff said that they have been attending calls to facilitate people during the crisis.

As many as 25 types of queries are being looked after in which issues related to COVID-19 patients, kinds of fever, other health related queries, ambulance requirement, ration, commutation related problems, lockdown related specific queries besides many other issues faced by the people during the these days.

“Once received, they categories that call and integrate with the concerned department. Besides transfer of calls, queries were being solved as much as possible with the help of available information,” said the staff.

They said that with the involvement of over a dozen personnel in each shift to manage the helpline and a stream

lined process with efficient coordination at district and other concerned departments and authorities, all requests for essential needs were being catered to.

These extensive steps have been taken to flatten the curve of Coronavirus outbreak in the National Capital.

As per the Delhi government’s data, on the first day of

lockdown on March 25, 280 calls were received at control room helplines while 152 call at CATS help line.

On April 14, last day of

lockdown-i, 855 calls were received at control room while 181 calls at CATS helpline.

On the first day of lockdown-ii, a total of 863 calls were received by control room while 163 by CATS.

On May 3, last day of lockdown-ii, a total of 1,495 calls were received at control room while 143 by CATS calls.