In Telangana, growing concerns have emerged over the reliability of the state’s emergency response service, Dial 100. Lately, lots of people have been talking about their experiences on social media, mentioning things like unanswered calls, police taking a long time to show up, and not knowing where callers are calling from. These stories have really got people asking questions about whether emergency services are doing enough, especially during really serious situations like accidents, harassment, or violence.

Social Media Flooded With Complaints

One user on X (formerly Twitter) wrote that they had tried calling Dial 100 multiple times during an emergency, but no one answered. Another user said they had to call another number and spend time convincing someone to help, yet no support arrived on time. Screenshots showing missed calls and failed attempts to reach emergency help are spreading rapidly online, causing concern among people and catching the attention of the police.

Hyderabad Police Claim Significant Progress

In response, Parimala Hana Nutan, the Joint Commissioner of Police (Administration and Coordination) in Hyderabad, stated that every call to Dial 100 is taken seriously. She said the department has made significant improvements in recent times, and that the average response time in Hyderabad is now about six minutes. In rural areas, however, the time ranges between 10 to 12 minutes, mainly because of longer distances and network-related issues.

She also explained that delays often happen when the nearest mobile tower is located 2 to 5 kilometers away from the caller. Even if the patrol vehicle reaches the tower’s location, officers may still have to travel another kilometer to find the exact spot where help is needed.

Nearly 3 Lakh Emergency Calls in 2024

Official data from the Hyderabad Commissionerate shows that the department handled nearly 2,98,511 calls through Dial 100 in 2024. This is a significant number, and according to the police, the average response time has been reduced by almost 50 percent compared to last year.

In the April to June quarter of 2023, the response time was around 13 minutes. By the end of 2024, it had dropped to just over 6 minutes in urban areas. This data paints a picture of progress, but the public sentiment on the ground tells a different story.

Rural Areas Still Face Major Delays

Despite technological upgrades and better infrastructure in cities, people living in rural and semi-urban parts of Telangana still face delays when trying to access emergency help. The lack of strong mobile signal coverage, poor roads, and limited patrolling units are some of the main reasons why emergency responses take longer in these areas.

Many citizens say that while the numbers may look promising, their actual experiences don’t reflect the same improvements. They believe the system is still inconsistent and needs serious reform to ensure fast and reliable emergency help, regardless of where the caller is located.

New Feedback System Introduced

To address these issues and increase transparency, Telangana Police have introduced a QR-code-based feedback system. Citizens can now scan QR codes displayed on police vehicles and in police stations to provide direct feedback about their experience. A separate Citizen Feedback Call Centre has also been set up to follow up with callers, gather data, and improve services based on public input.

These steps are aimed at building trust between the police and the community and to hold officers accountable for delays or misconduct.

Experts Call for Further Improvements

While these measures are a move in the right direction, critics argue that more needs to be done. Experts say that GPS-based caller tracking, better training for field staff, and more patrol vehicles in rural areas are essential to ensure no call for help goes unanswered.

Transparency is also key. Activists have demanded that the police department release monthly data on Dial 100 response times, broken down by district and type of emergency, so that citizens can monitor performance for themselves.

Telangana’s Top Policing Rank Under Question

Interestingly, Telangana has been ranked one of the top-performing states in India in terms of policing, according to the India Justice Report 2025. The state scored well on various parameters, including police staffing, training, crime solving, and public satisfaction.

However, the recent complaints over Dial 100 have cast a shadow over that reputation. Many people believe that while the state may be doing well on paper, the real-life experiences of citizens, especially those in rural areas, suggest that the system is still flawed.