December 07, Colombo (LNW): The Office of the Commissioner General of Essential Services (CGES) has introduced a new rapid-response hotline, 1904, enabling the public to report difficulties in accessing key services anywhere in the country. Officials say the service is designed to streamline complaints, strengthen coordination among agencies, and speed up responses during emergencies or unexpected service breakdowns.
Residents may use 1904 to flag problems relating to electricity, fuel supply, drinking water and sanitation, public transport, food and other basic goods, telecommunications and ICT services, hospital and emergency medical care, as well as irrigation and other critical services listed under Gazette Extraordinary No. 2464/29. Authorities have indicated that additional categories may be incorporated as national needs evolve.
All calls will be routed to the CGES Operations Centre, where trained staff will verify each report, assess its urgency, and relay it to the appropriate response units. Officials noted that improved digital tracking tools have been integrated into the system to ensure that complaints are properly monitored until they are resolved.
The CGES has urged the public to use the number responsibly and to provide clear, accurate details so that teams on the ground can act swiftly. Early feedback from trial operations suggests the hotline could significantly reduce delays in responding to service failures, particularly during adverse weather or periods of heightened demand.
