NEW DELHI: The Union home ministry has invited bids for operationalizing the national emergency response helpline — 112 — even as the telecom ministry and Trai are still in discussion on modalities of its allotment.The proposed helpline, modeled after 911 system in the US, will integrate various existing emergency helplines like 100 (police), 101 (fire), 108 (ambulance) and ensure that timely help reaches callers in distress without their having to indicate their location.Though the national emergency response system will focus on women’s security for now, its scope may eventually be widened to take calls from all sections of people facing all types of emergencies. Union home ministry sources said they have asked the number '112' to be assigned to the helpline, a demand that DoT is set to consider favourably.The IT solutions provider to be selected through the home ministry bid will help set up a national operations centre, besides various state-level centres. The Rs 321-crore national emergency response helpline project, to be funded out of Nirbhaya Fund, will enable women to send distress messages through a phone call, SMS, online chats, mobile apps and even panic buttons in public transport systems and GPS-based accessories like wrist bands. As soon as the message is received, response agencies such as police, ambulance or fire brigade will be alerted to reach the victim, whose location the system can pinpoint on its own, without delay.Importantly, the national emergency response system will also cater to non-emergency calls for counselling etc.