Emergencies in Rishikesh

Good to Know

• 112 is the single number to remember in Rishikesh and everywhere else in India — it dispatches police, fire, or ambulance and works even without a SIM or signal in many cases.
• Older numbers like 100 (police), 101 (fire), 102 and 108 (ambulance) still work in parallel with 112, so don't panic if a local tells you a different number.
• Rishikesh sits in a hilly, pilgrimage-heavy part of Uttarakhand, so response times for fire/ambulance can be slower than in a big city — the Uttarakhand Tourism helpline (1364/1363) is a useful backup for non life-threatening travel issues.
• If you're heading up the Rishikesh–Badrinath highway, be aware there is a nighttime vehicle ban (10pm–5am) on the Devprayag–Rishikesh stretch for safety reasons, with emergency vehicles exempted.
• For serious trauma or a true medical emergency in Rishikesh, AIIMS Rishikesh's Trauma Centre is the facility locals and expats rely on — it runs 24/7 and has CT/MRI, ICU, and surgical capacity on-site rather than needing transfer elsewhere.
• Call 108 for a free government ambulance anywhere in Uttarakhand, including Rishikesh; response times can vary depending on traffic on Virbhadra Road / the Ganga-side roads.
• AIIMS Rishikesh is a government teaching hospital, so expect very high patient volume and a more no-frills environment than a private clinic — bring ID and, if possible, a companion who can help navigate registration during a stressful moment.
• Smaller clinics and pharmacies around Laxman Jhula/Ram Jhula can handle minor injuries or illness, but for anything involving suspected fractures, head injury, snake bite, or severe altitude/water-related incidents (common given the rafting and trekking scene), AIIMS's trauma centre is the appropriate destination.