Development Commissioner Stresses Reduction in Road Accident Fatalities in Odisha
News Odishabarta
First week of every month from September to March to be observed as ‘Zero Fatality Week’
Special focus on accident-prone districts with regular reviews and field-level action
Strict enforcement, black spot correction, public awareness and ‘Golden Hour’ treatment to be prioritised
Bhubaneswar, September 3, 2026: The Odisha Government has intensified efforts to reduce road accidents and fatalities across the state, with Development Commissioner and Additional Chief Secretary Deoranjan Kumar Singh stressing the need for coordinated and measurable action on road safety.
A high-level preparatory-cum-review meeting was held at Lok Seva Bhawan here on Thursday under the chairmanship of the Development Commissioner. DGP Binaytosh Mishra, Principal Secretary of the Commerce and Transport Department N.B.S. Rajput, Transport Commissioner Amitabh Thakur and other senior officials attended the meeting.
District Collectors, Inspectors General of Police (IGs), Superintendents of Police (SPs) and Regional Transport Officers (RTOs) from across the state participated in the meeting through video conferencing.
During the meeting, detailed discussions were held on various measures to be implemented at the field level to strengthen road safety.
At the outset, the Transport Commissioner presented a data-based overview of the current road safety situation in Odisha, major causes of accidents and identified vulnerable locations.
As part of the state’s efforts to significantly reduce road accident fatalities, the first week of every month from September 2026 to March 2027 will be observed as ‘Zero Fatality Week’.
The campaign will be implemented through close coordination among the Commerce and Transport Department, Police, National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), Works Department, Health Department and other concerned agencies.
The Development Commissioner directed officials to ensure that the campaign does not remain a merely symbolic exercise and instead produces visible and measurable results at the field level. He called for strict enforcement of traffic laws, strong action against violators, extensive checking drives, public awareness campaigns and simultaneous correction of road infrastructure deficiencies.
Strategic enforcement drives will be conducted jointly by Police and RTO teams against major traffic violations, including non-use of helmets by two-wheeler riders and pillion riders, failure to wear seat belts, overspeeding, drunk driving, use of mobile phones while driving, wrong-side driving and violation of traffic signals.
The meeting also stressed immediate engineering improvements at identified black spots in coordination with NHAI, the Works Department and the Rural Development Department. Measures such as repairing potholes, installing blinkers and warning signboards, and erecting crash barriers will be expedited to improve road safety.
District Collectors were instructed to strengthen public awareness and emergency healthcare services. Awareness programmes on safe travel will be organised at panchayat and urban levels with the participation of Self-Help Groups, students, volunteers and drivers. Steps will also be taken to ensure active public participation in road safety campaigns.
Special emphasis was placed on providing timely medical assistance to accident victims during the crucial ‘Golden Hour’ following an accident. Ambulance services will be kept ready near vulnerable roads and accident-prone locations to ensure prompt transportation of injured persons to medical facilities.
The meeting also reviewed the implementation of the ‘PM Rahat Yojana’ and discussed measures for its wider publicity. Citizens who help save the lives of accident victims will be encouraged through financial rewards and recognition under the ‘Rahabir’ and ‘Good Samaritan’ policies.
Special attention will be given to accident-prone districts, particularly those witnessing a higher number of accidents due to mineral transportation, industrial activities and traffic movement along national highways. The respective District Collectors and SPs will personally supervise road safety measures in these areas.
Along with the monthly ‘Zero Fatality Week’ campaign, detailed reviews will be conducted to assess the reduction in fatalities at the field level, action taken against traffic violators and progress in correcting road-related deficiencies.
The Development Commissioner also held discussions with District Collectors, Police IGs and SPs regarding measures to reduce accidents, fatalities and injuries and issued necessary directions and suggestions.
He directed all departmental officials to ensure that road safety awareness and compliance with traffic rules are not confined to the designated seven-day campaign each month but continue throughout the year.
The Development Commissioner further stressed the need to bring road accident fatalities down to the lowest possible level through technology-based interventions and stronger data-driven monitoring mechanisms across the state.
