Within hours of announcing '167' as women helpline number, the Telecom Ministry on Monday changed it to '181' saying the new three-digit number was easier to remember.

Amidst nationwide uproar over brutal gang-rape of a 23-year old paramedic student, the Telecom Ministry for the first time in two years released a three-digit number, 167, for women helpline.

However, "upon request for a number that would be easier to recollect", the number has been changed to '181', a statement from the Department of Telecom said.

Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit had requested Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal to allot a three-digit phone number for helping women in distress.

"Though DoT has limited resource in respect of three-digit numbers, yet within two hours of the request, a three-digit number has been allotted for Chief Minister's helpline," the statement said.

This is the first three-digit number to have been allotted in two years.

Protests across the country are being seen demanding speedy justice to the accused in the Delhi gangrape case, where a 23-year-old para-medical student from Dehradun was alleged raped on Sunday night in a moving bus in Delhi.