The Delhi government is all set to take over the management of women helpline number 181 from the Delhi Commission of Women (DCW).

The transition is expected to be completed within two days. After that, the Women and Child Development (W&CD) Department of the Delhi government will take over the management of the Women Helpline number 181 from the Delhi Women’s Commission.

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While the transfer takes place, calls for assistance can be made to 112, with measures in place to inform the public about the change. The current service provider has been requested to run a statement during this buffer period on their IVR, stating, “Women Helpline-181 is currently in a transition phase, please call 112 for any assistance.”

Commenting on this, Delhi Women and Child Development Minister Kailash Gahlot said, “We are committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of women in Delhi. We aim to provide a more integrated and efficient response to the needs of women in distress. Our department has made all necessary arrangements to handle calls effectively and provide timely assistance. I am confident that the Women Helpline number 181 will be operational again within a few days.”

This transition follows a directive from the Central government asking the Department of Women & Child Development, Government of NCT of Delhi, to manage the Women Helpline-181 as per a letter to the chief secretary dated May 4, 2023.

Earlier the Delhi Commission of Women used to take care of the management of the helpline receiving on an average approximately 40,000 calls every month. It is a toll-free 24-hour number operated with the support of telecom service.