Bhubaneswar: The ‘Zero Fatality Fortnight’ commenced in the state starting from World Remembrance Day for Road Traffic Victims. This programme will continue until November 30. On the inaugural day, the launch event was held at the driving testing track in Chandrasekharpur, Bhubaneswar.
The event was attended by Commerce and Transport Department Principal Secretary Usha Padhee, Transport Commissioner Amitabh Thakur and Bhubaneswar-Cuttack Police Commissioner Suresh Dev Dutta Singh.
Padhee stated that the number of lives lost in road accidents has become a matter of grave concern for all of us. The government is making all possible efforts to reduce this. However, road accidents cannot be minimised through government initiatives alone; it requires collective participation. She urged everyone to join the road accident reduction campaign.
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The objective of observing the ‘Zero Fatality Fortnight’ is to reduce road accidents. We aspire to build a society free from road accidents. Such programmes have been undertaken for this purpose. If all road users—whether drivers or others—adhere to road safety rules, the untimely loss of lives can be prevented.
Similarly, both the Transport Commissioner and Police Commissioner expressed concern over the rising number of road accidents. They stated that awareness campaigns along with strict enforcement will be implemented to reduce these numbers. Over the next 15 days, Regional Transport Officers across the state will organise various programmes in collaboration with district administrations, police administrations and other departments.
Thakur said that just as we protected ourselves during the Covid-19 pandemic by following rules, road accidents have also taken the form of an epidemic. To safeguard ourselves from this, we must prioritise adherence to rules. Likewise, the Police Commissioner remarked that investigations into many road accidents reveal that if drivers had not committed errors, those accidents could have been prevented. Road users are not taking safety rules as seriously as they should. We need to understand that failing to follow rules makes us victims of accidents.
On the occasion of World Remembrance Day for Road Accident Victims, tributes were paid to those who lost their lives in accidents, along with a two-minute silent prayer. Additionally, an awareness mobile van was launched, which will travel during the fortnight to raise public awareness. Students from various educational institutions participating in the event conducted a road safety march.
The programme was also attended by the Traffic DCP, senior officials from the Transport Department, Regional Transport Officers and police department officials.
