The Delhi government says that the women's helpline is operational from MTNL numbers. The helpline will be operational by 6 pm today. A helpline for women set up with great fanfare by beleaguered Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit through advertisement in newspapers this morning itself appeared to be "helpless" as it was not working. Calls to the number were greeted by a long beep sound. Dikshit had last week announced launch of the round- the-clock helpline for offering help to women in distress amid nationwide uproar over the December 16 brutal gangrape of the 23-year-old here.