The government has temporarily halted the recently introduced Cell Broadcast System, a national emergency public alert network, after a wrongly directed late-night alert raised concerns about its reliability. The suspension, as per The Hindu report, lacks specific reasons disclosed by authorities, with a possible technical glitch being cited as the cause.
A mistakenly directed alert from disaster management units in Haryana and Uttar Pradesh reached Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s contact number, leading to a precautionary suspension. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) issued a directive on June 12, 2026, to pause the system, initiating a thorough technical assessment to determine the safe resumption of services.
Phones were triggered to emit a loud noise even when switched off or on silent mode by an alert purportedly sent by disaster management units in Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, causing phones to ring at midnight, sources mentioned. The suspension is temporary, pending the results of ongoing technical evaluations and further instructions from the NDMA, with updates anticipated post the review and reinforcement of system safeguards.
The system, developed domestically by the Centre for Development of Telematics in collaboration with the NDMA and the Ministry of Home Affairs, was introduced in May 2026 to enhance India’s emergency response capabilities. Designed to provide real-time critical information on disasters, emergencies, and public safety directly to citizens’ mobile phones, the advanced system underwent a successful nationwide test, delivering ’emergency alert messages’ with a beep sound to mobile users across the country.
