NDMA temporarily halts emergency broadcast network for disaster alerts over glitch

A nationwide disaster alert system designed to scream through silent modes and wake millions in real-time has been temporarily put on hold over technical issues. 

Just a month after its high-profile rollout, India has suspended its newly launched Cell Broadcast System (CBS) following a string of midnight alerts that allegedly reached the highest offices in the country. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) issued an order on June 12 freezing the nationwide emergency alert service until further notice, citing "issues flagged by competent authorities." 

While the official directive remained tight-lipped on the exact nature of the problem, the suspension closely followed a chaotic sequence of events on the night of June 12. Disaster management units in Haryana and Uttar Pradesh dispatched localized emergency alerts that broadcasted around midnight.

The system, engineered to bypass network congestion and override individual phone settings with a loud, piercing hooting sound, did exactly what it was programmed to do — but at the wrong time. According to a report by The Hindu, the midnight panic triggered alarm bells after an alert was inadvertently delivered to the Prime Minister’s contact number. 

What is the emergency alert system

Launched in May by the Government of India, the Cell Broadcast System was touted as a massive infrastructure upgrade for critical, geo-targeted disaster communication. Unlike standard SMS notifications, CBS operates independently of regular internet connectivity and mobile data networks, ensuring that priority pop-up warnings, flashing text, and high-decibel audio tones can pierce through to millions of citizens simultaneously during acute crises. 

The NDMA has characterised the current halt as a precautionary measure. While technical and procedural reviews are underway across multiple government agencies to fix the broadcasting parameters, the emergency lines will remain dormant.

Smartphone users who previously enabled the service through their device’s emergency settings will no longer receive test channels or high-priority warnings until the NDMA issues explicit instructions to restore the network.

The test messages are received only on phones that have their Cell Broadcast test channels enabled. Users can enable or disable these alerts by going to Settings > Safety and emergency > Wireless emergency alerts > Test alerts on supported smartphones.