CHENNAI: The Greater Chennai Police said their patrol vehicles maintained the five-minute response time in 69,629 calls made to the emergency helplines this year.
Apart from the 234 patrol vehicles, there are 29 additional patrols, 98 Gypsy patrols and 25 special mobile patrols which attend to the calls round the clock in the 12 police districts in GCP limits, police said.
The calls that are received on the emergency helpline number 100 at SPMCR (State police master control room) are relayed through radio to the patrol vehicles. "All vehicles are fitted with GPS and their movements and response times are regularly tracked," according to an official release.
The vehicles are usually stationed in crowded areas in each police station jurisdiction, and also near educational institutions and transport hubs. The patrol vehicles are on duty 24x7 on a rotational basis and apart from attending emergency calls, they also coordinate with other government departments like the fire and rescue, electricity board, and the Corporation in case of distress calls related to other departments.
So far in 2025, the 100 emergency helpline has received 60,417 calls, while 9211 calls were recorded in other helplines for women and the elderly.
From attending to disorderly conduct in neighbourhoods to domestic issues, patrol vehicles also attend to calls related to infrastructure woes in neighbourhoods.
The patrol vehicles ensure the five-minute response time is adhered to except for delays due to traffic and other infrastructure-related delays, police said.