What should you know about healthcare and emergencies in Bangalore?
Emergency number
112
Police: 100. Ambulance: 108.
Updated July 2026 · Sources cited: maphospitals.com, healthinsuranceagents.in
Good to know
Good to Know
- 112 is the single number to remember for police, fire, or ambulance anywhere in India, including Bangalore — it works even without a local SIM or signal on many phones.
- Locally, people often still call the older direct numbers (100 for police, 101 for fire, 108 for ambulance) out of habit, and these remain functional in parallel with 112.
- Rapidly pressing your phone's power button several times (usually 3, sometimes 5 depending on the handset/app) can trigger an automatic panic/SOS dial — worth testing on your specific phone before you need it.
- Ambulance response and quality can vary; for serious medical emergencies many expats and locals in Bangalore also use private ambulance/app-based services in addition to the free 108 government line.
- Save the 112 India app and/or the Karnataka State Police (KSP) app before you need them, since app store registration can be slow or glitchy in the moment of an actual emergency.
- Private hospitals like Manipal (Old Airport Road) and the Apollo campuses are the most commonly used by expats and nomads for emergencies — they have 24/7 EDs, English-speaking staff, and accept international insurance/cashless claims, but expect to pay upfront or provide insurance details before treatment beyond initial stabilization.
- Government facilities such as the Victoria Hospital trauma centre are far cheaper (or free for some services) but tend to be busier and less English-friendly; they're the default destination for ambulances after major road accidents in central Bengaluru.
- Bangalore traffic can make 'nearest hospital' more relevant than 'best hospital' in a true emergency — check which private hospital is genuinely closest to where you're staying (Indiranagar/Old Airport Road, Koramangala/Jayanagar, or Bannerghatta Road corridors each have solid options) rather than defaulting to the most famous name across town.
- Always ask a hospital to confirm current ER wait times and trauma capability by phone before self-transporting for a serious injury, since staffing and bed availability can vary.
Official Safety Apps
112 India
- Publisher
- Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India
- Description
- Official national app to activate a panic call directly to the state Emergency Response Centre. Includes a 'SHOUT' feature for women and children that alerts nearby registered volunteers in addition to dispatching help.
Platforms
- Android
- iOS
Suraksha - Bengaluru City Police (Also Called Bengaluru City Police SOS)
- Caveat
- User reviews report recurring registration and OTP verification bugs, so treat it as a secondary option rather than a sole reliance point.
- Publisher
- Bengaluru City Police (developed by Trinity Mobility)
- Description
- City-specific personal safety app; activating an SOS trigger (pressing a button several times) records a short video, alerts the police Computer Aided Dispatch system, sends alerts to registered emergency contacts, and enables GPS tracking.
Platforms
- Android
- iOS
KSP Mobile App (Karnataka State Police)
- Publisher
- Karnataka State Police
- Description
- Official state police app with an SOS button that notifies trusted contacts and shares GPS location, plus tools to find the nearest police station, report non-emergency incidents, and a 'Safe Connect' video call feature to the Bengaluru City Command Center.
Platforms
- Android
- iOS
BTP ASTraM
- Publisher
- Bengaluru Traffic Police
- Description
- Official Bengaluru Traffic Police app for real-time traffic updates, accident and violation reporting, and traffic alerts — useful for road-safety situations rather than general emergencies.
Platforms
- Android
Womens Safety Helplines
Women Helpline (National)
- Number
- 1091
Women Helpline - Domestic Abuse
- Number
- 181
Legacy Direct Numbers Still Active
Police
- Number
- 100
- Note
- Older direct police number; still active and often faster for police-specific calls than routing through 112.
Fire
- Number
- 101
- Note
- Direct fire brigade number, still functional in parallel with 112.
Ambulance
- Number
- 108
- Note
- Government emergency ambulance service, free of cost and operating 24/7 in Karnataka and most states.
Ambulance (Alternate)
- Number
- 102
- Note
- Used in many states mainly for pregnant women and infants under government health schemes, though also used generally in some areas.
Hospitals
Manipal Hospital, Old Airport Road
- Hours
- 24/7 Emergency Department
- Address
- 98, HAL Old Airport Road, Kodihalli, Bengaluru – 560017
- Trauma Level Designation
- Not formally rated under a US-style trauma level system; hospital markets itself as a comprehensive 24/7 emergency and trauma care centre with dedicated resuscitation bay, ICU, and multidisciplinary trauma team
- Notes
- Flagship, long-established multi-specialty hospital in the Indiranagar/Old Airport Road area; runs its own ambulance fleet (MARS).
Apollo Hospitals, Bannerghatta Road
- Hours
- 24/7 Emergency Department
- Address
- 154/11, Bannerghatta Road, opposite IIM Bangalore, Amalodbhavi Nagar, Panduranga Nagar, Bengaluru – 560076
- Trauma Level Designation
- No formal government trauma-level rating found; hospital advertises 24x7 'Advanced Trauma & Emergency Care' with dedicated trauma/critical care unit and round-the-clock ambulance service
- Notes
- JCI-accredited, one of Apollo's larger Bangalore campuses; ~350 beds.
Apollo Hospitals, Jayanagar
- Hours
- 24/7 Emergency Department
- Address
- 21/2, 14th Cross Road, near Madhavan Park Circle, Jayanagar, Bengaluru – 560011
- Trauma Level Designation
- No formal government trauma-level rating found; advertised as 24x7 trauma and emergency care unit
- Notes
- 150-bed super-speciality hospital, central Jayanagar location.
Bangalore Hospital (Trauma & Emergency Care Unit) – Jayanagar Campus
- Hours
- 24/7, described as never closing
- Address
- Jayanagar, Bengaluru (exact street address not independently confirmed at the time of research)
- Trauma Level Designation
- No formal trauma-level designation found; self-described advanced trauma and emergency care unit with CT/MRI, E-FAST bedside imaging, and stroke/cardiac protocols
- Notes
- Also has a Kengeri campus; Jayanagar campus is the more centrally located option for nomads.
24/7 government-run emergency and trauma services
- Name
- Victoria Hospital / Trauma and Emergency Care Centre (Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute, BMCRI)
- Address
- Fort, K.R. Market area, Bengaluru – 560002 (government BMCRI campus)
- Trauma Level Designation
- This is Bangalore's main public-sector dedicated trauma and emergency care centre, functioning as the city's de facto Level-1-equivalent government trauma referral point, though it does not use a formal numbered 'Level I/II' designation
- Notes
- Government (low-cost) hospital; expect higher patient volumes and more crowding than private hospitals, but it is the primary public trauma referral centre for serious road-traffic and other major trauma cases in central Bengaluru.
Pricing
- Generic Medicines
- Significantly cheaper than branded; savings typically 50%+ vs. brand equivalent
Online Discounts
- Branded
- 10–20% discount typical
- Generic
- Up to 90% savings reported via bulk/online platforms
Online Pharmacy Platforms
PharmEasy
- Coverage
- 1200+ cities including Bangalore
- Features
- Online medicine delivery, lab tests, doctor consultation, home vaccination
Apollo Pharmacy
- Coverage
- 5600+ stores nationally; Bangalore included
- Features
- 1-day delivery in select areas; 24-hour availability
1mg (Tata)
- Coverage
- Nationwide
- Features
- Generic medicines, discounts
Medkart
- Features
- Generic medicines, 15–85% discounts, home delivery
Zeelab Pharmacy
- Features
- Same-day delivery, up to 90% savings on generics, 24/7 ordering
Disaster Management
- Number
- 1078
- Service
- National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA)
Universal Emergency Number
- Number
- 112
- How To Trigger Panic Alert
- On most smartphones, rapidly pressing the power button 3 times (or on some models, 5 times) triggers an automatic SOS/panic dial to 112.
- Description
- India's pan-India unified Emergency Response Support System (ERSS) number, connecting to police, fire, ambulance and other services. Works from any phone including landlines, and functions even without a SIM card or network signal on many handsets. Can also be triggered via SMS, email, or the '112 India' mobile app, and free 24/7.
Healthcare
- Overview
- Bangalore has modern private hospitals with English-speaking staff and medical equipment comparable to international standards. Costs are lower than other Indian metropolitan cities but rising due to medical inflation.
- Insurance Context
- Health insurance strongly recommended; medical inflation in India is 11.5–14% annually. Pre-existing conditions often have waiting periods before full coverage.
Major Hospitals
- Apollo Hospitals
- Fortis Hospital (Bannerghatta Road)
- Manipal Hospitals
- Ramakrishna Hospital
- NU Hospitals
- Magnet Hospitals (emerging network)
Hospitalization Costs
- Basic Minor High
- ₹50,000
- Basic Minor Treatment
- ₹30,000
- Note Per Case
- Actual costs vary significantly by hospital tier and treatment specificity
Surgery Costs Example
- Note
- Wide variation; same procedure ranges from ₹50,000 to ₹5,00,000+ depending on hospital, implant choice, and complexity
Key Notes
Key Notes
- Counterfeit medicines are a documented risk; use only trusted, licensed pharmacies
- Physical pharmacies available 24/7 in major areas; verify local availability
- Prescription required for regulated medicines; licensed pharmacist must verify
- Coverage varies by Bangalore locality (Whitefield, Jayanagar, Koramangala have good online coverage)
Availability
Both physical pharmacies and online delivery services widely available; physical pharmacies easy to find near hospitals and major roads
Payment Methods
UPI, debit/credit cards, net banking, cash on delivery (COD)
Delivery Options
Delivery Options
- Same-day delivery (many platforms in central areas)
- Express/instant delivery (emergency options; 24/7 ordering available)
- Standard delivery (24–48 hours)
Regulatory Compliance
Licensed pharmacies source from authorized distributors; WHO-GMP certified manufacturing common; licensed pharmacists review orders before dispatch
AI-generated estimateData refreshed July 2026
Sources cited for this category
These are the sources cited in this emergencies research for this city. Individual figures may not each trace to one of them.
More About Bangalore
Data last updated July 2026 · Verify anything important.