Chhatrapur: Road accidents remain a significant concern in Ganjam district with 391 fatalities reported in 2024, according to data from the district Transport department. Though the number of fatalities has seen a mild decline as compared to the previous year, the number of road accidents has witnessed a rise. Ganjam ranks third in the state in terms of road accidents and fatalities. The district recorded 818 mishaps in 2024, resulting in 391 deaths and 546 injuries. Compared to 2023, the number of accidents increased by 10 per cent, while the fatality rate has come down by 3 per cent. A total of 740 accidents claiming 405 lives were reported in 2023. Of the total fatalities in 2024, about 46 per cent occurred on national highways.
Meanwhile, 41 per cent of the accidents were attributed to over-speeding.
To promote road safety, January was observed as Road Safety Month, during which awareness rallies, meetings, and educational programmes were conducted in schools and colleges across the district. The Transport department urged residents to follow traffic rules and prioritise safety while traveling. Despite these efforts, the district recorded 61 accidents in January alone, resulting in 30 deaths.
Of these, 21 fatalities occurred in the Ganjam police district, while nine were reported from Berhampur police district. Additionally, 30 people sustained serious injuries, as per transport department reports.
