Odisha Intensifies Efforts to Reduce Road Accidents with Focus on Rural Areas and High-Risk Districts

Bhubaneswar: The Commerce and Transport Department of Odisha is ramping up its efforts to curb road accidents and fatalities, particularly in rural areas and high-risk districts. In a crucial meeting held at Kharavela Bhavan, Principal Secretary Usha Padhi led discussions aimed at enhancing road safety measures across the state. The meeting was attended by Transport Commissioner Amitabh Thakur and representatives from IIT Madras.

Dr. Venkatesh Balasubramaniam, Head of the Center of Excellence for Road Safety at IIT Madras, provided detailed insights into modern techniques and structured approaches that can be employed to improve road safety management. His presentation emphasized the importance of understanding the root causes of accidents and implementing targeted strategies to prevent them.

Key discussions during the meeting focused on raising awareness among road users in Odisha and deploying data-driven solutions to tackle the issue of road accidents. Principal Secretary Usha Padhi stressed the need for timely execution of initiatives and underscored the importance of measuring the impact of these efforts to ensure meaningful progress.

The state has already made significant strides in improving road safety, but further success will require collaboration with both national and international experts. IIT Madras, renowned for its expertise in road safety, is partnering with the state to collect and analyze data, develop solutions, and draft a comprehensive plan to address road safety challenges in Odisha’s rural areas, with a special focus on mining regions.

The meeting was also attended by Additional Transport Commissioner Lal Mohan Sethy, Joint Transport Commissioners Pradeep Kumar Mohanty and Bikash Choudhury, Joint Director Tapan Kumar Mishra, Special Officer Bhramarbar Mohapatra, and Atul Singh, a representative from the Center of Excellence for Road Safety. Each contributed valuable perspectives to the discussions, reinforcing the collective commitment to reducing road accidents and saving lives in Odisha.