Bhubaneswar: Concerned over the rising incidents of road accidents in Odisha, the state government has decided to provide funds to the District Road Safety Committees (DRSC) to make small interventions for reductions of road accidents and fatalities in the state.
In a letter Commerce and Transport Principal Secretary, Usha Padhee requested all District Collectors, SPs and DCPs to submit their proposals indicating their requirement of funds by June 20 next.
In view of the importance of the issue, it has been decided to provide funds to the DRSCs to take up initiatives for the reduction of accidents and fatalities, she said.
Small interventions like the painting of medians, pasting of reflective tapes, conducting awareness programmes, installing CC Cameras for deterrence may have significant effect in improving road safety in the districts, she said.
These initiatives become important for the districts having major SHS, NHS, Urban Centres. As per official reports 5,467 persons were killed in road accidents during 2022. It was 7.6 per cent higher than the accidents in 2021. In January and February 2023 the fatalities grew by 24.91 per cent compared to corresponding period in 2022. It is observed that, there is growth in fatalities by more than 50 per cent in the districts like Deogarh, Gajapati, Jagatsinghpur, Jajpur, Jharsuguda, Kendrapara, Khurda, Malkangiri and Nuapada,” the Padhee said in the letter.
“All the districts are being impressed upon from time to time to initiate Education, Engineering, Enforcement and Emergency Care measures for reduction of road accidents and fatalities in the districts,’’ She said.
All districts have been requested to hold the meeting of the District Road Safety Committees (DRSC) once in every month to review the road safety scenario,” Padhee said.
UNI
