Bengaluru: Bengaluru has taken a major leap in emergency response technology with the city police introducing an AI-powered multilingual upgrade to its ‘Namma 112’ helpline, becoming the first police force in India to deploy such a system. The feature was officially launched on April 29, 2026, marking a first-of-its-kind initiative in the country’s public safety infrastructure.
The upgraded system integrates an advanced solution known as “Multilingual Voice AI for Nationwide Key Interventions (VANKI)”, which allows callers to communicate in their preferred language during emergencies. Using artificial intelligence, the platform translates conversations in real time, enabling control room staff to instantly understand distress calls and respond without delay.
Officials said the primary goal of the initiative is to eliminate language barriers that often slow down emergency response, especially in a diverse city like Bengaluru that is home to migrants, students, professionals, and international visitors. With this system in place, authorities expect faster response times, better clarity in communication, and more accurate deployment of police, ambulance, and fire services.
The multilingual AI platform currently supports more than 10 languages, covering a wide range of users. These include Indian languages such as Bengali, Gujarati, Odia, Manipuri, Kashmiri, Nepali, and Assamese, along with international languages like Spanish, French, and Arabic. Authorities have also confirmed that more languages will be added in phases to further expand accessibility.
The system works by allowing a caller to speak naturally in their language, after which the AI tool interprets and relays the message instantly to call handlers, ensuring real-time situational understanding. This significantly reduces confusion during critical moments and helps emergency teams act quickly and efficiently.
The initiative was launched under the state government’s push for technology-driven policing, with officials highlighting that earlier the helpline largely relied on Kannada, English, and Hindi-speaking personnel, limiting accessibility for many callers. With AI integration, the system now bridges this gap and makes emergency services more inclusive and citizen-centric.
Developed in collaboration with technology partners, the project reflects a growing emphasis on combining innovation with law enforcement to improve public safety systems. Officials described the rollout as a transformational step toward modernising emergency response services in India, ensuring that language is no longer a barrier in life-threatening situations.
The ‘112’ helpline is part of India’s Emergency Response Support System (ERSS), and the upgraded ‘Namma 112’ platform now sets a new benchmark for how artificial intelligence can be used to enhance accessibility, speed, and efficiency in emergency services across the country.
