New Delhi: India has temporarily suspended its newly launched Cell Broadcast emergency alert system following an advisory from the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), officials said.
The decision, which came into effect on June 12, has been described as precautionary, with authorities stating that the system will remain suspended until further review and directions are issued.
The move comes just weeks after the nationwide rollout of the alert platform, which is designed to send real-time emergency warnings directly to mobile phones in specific geographic areas. In recent days, users across Delhi-NCR and parts of Uttar Pradesh had received multiple high-intensity weather alerts, including warnings of severe thunderstorms, strong winds, lightning, and hailstorms. The repeated alerts, often accompanied by loud notification tones, drew widespread public attention.
NDMA cites review after advisory
According to officials, the suspension follows an advisory issued by the NDMA, which flagged certain operational concerns regarding the system. However, the advisory did not provide detailed reasons for the action.
Authorities have indicated that the system will be restored only after consultations with relevant agencies and a comprehensive technical review of its performance and deployment.
Reports suggest possible trigger under examination
Unconfirmed reports have suggested that the decision may be linked to an incident involving an emergency alert reportedly escalated to senior government levels late at night. However, officials have not confirmed whether this played a role in the suspension.
Recent widespread alerts across North India
Before the suspension, the Cell Broadcast system had been actively issuing weather warnings across multiple districts in North India. Alerts had warned of thunderstorms with wind speeds reaching up to 90–100 km/h, affecting districts including Ghaziabad, Meerut, Aligarh, Agra, Hapur, Saharanpur, and Baghpat.
What is the Cell Broadcast System?
The Cell Broadcast System was launched nationwide in May by the Ministry of Communications under Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia. It enables authorities to send emergency alerts simultaneously to millions of mobile users within a defined area.
Unlike traditional SMS messages, cell broadcast alerts are designed to bypass network congestion and deliver real-time warnings during disasters. The system is widely used globally for public safety alerts, including weather emergencies, evacuation warnings, and other critical situations.
Next steps
Officials said the suspension is temporary and no timeline has yet been provided for restoration. A review is currently underway to assess technical performance and operational procedures before the system is reactivated.
