Mumbai : ” I want to download songs from Rowdy Rathore”… ” Can you add channels to my set- top box”… ” A mobile recharge worth Rs. 30, please.” After 7 pm, such calls are commonplace at the Disaster Control Room in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation headquarters.
The Disaster Control Room operates the helpline number 108, which citizens can call to learn about disaster- related information, including the flooded spots in the city, the times of high tide, breakages in BEST bus services, and fallen trees obstructing traffic. This number can also be used to lodge a complaint about impure water supply. With the police helpline number 100 and the fire brigade helpline number 101, the BMC too had chipped in with its dedicated helpline.
The BMCs disaster helpline receives hundreds of calls from citizens daily, but the helpline has started getting calls from Tata Sky, Vodafone, Videocon and Airtel customers, who think that this is a company helpline instead.
A helpline operator said that she is fed up of hearing questions like ” Whats my account balance?” or ” Would you please add channels to my set- top box?” or even, ” How do I download games to my set- top box?” from her callers.
When she tells callers they have reached the disaster helpline, most of them apologise and hang up, but some that refuse to take her word even resort to foul language.
The BMC has written to the companies concerned to clear up this confusion with their consumers, said Mahesh Narvekar, chief of the BMCs Disaster Management Cell.
” Wealt39ve asked them to change their helpline numbers that resemble our 108,” Narvekar said.
BMCs disaster helpline has started receiving calls from Tata Sky, Vodafone, Videocon and Airtel customers, who think that it is a company helpline
