Odisha : Odisha has witnessed 27,167 deaths in road accidents over the last five years, averaging 5,433 fatalities per year, Commerce and Transport Minister Bibhuti Bhusan Jena informed the State Assembly on Friday. During the same period, 50,041 people sustained injuries in road mishaps across the state.
“Annually, around 5,500 people lose their lives in road accidents. Road safety is a high-priority area for the Government, and multiple initiatives are underway to reduce accidents,” the Minister said in a written reply. The Supreme Court Committee on Road Safety regularly monitors Odisha’s road safety programs.
The year 2024 recorded the highest number of fatalities, with 6,142 deaths reported. In response, the state government has taken measures to tackle drunken driving, unfit vehicles, driving without licenses, and improve traffic management.
The rising toll is a concern, especially in light of Supreme Court directives urging states to reduce road accident fatalities by 10% annually and target a 50% reduction by 2020 using 2014 as the base year.
To address the challenge, Odisha has launched several initiatives: community-level dialogues under “Cha Au Charcha” near accident-prone areas, training of Sahayaks and Raahveers as first responders, awareness programs for school children to nurture future safe drivers, specialized driver training in mining and industrial zones, and public messaging through All India Radio, all aimed at promoting road safety awareness at scale.