Bhubaneswar: As many as 27,167 people were killed in road accidents in Odisha over the past five years with an average of 5,433 fatalities annually, Commerce and Transport Minister Bibhuti Bhusan Jena informed the Assembly Thursday.
In a written statement, Jena said the state recorded 56,830 accidents between 2020 and 2024, in which 27,167 people died and 50,041 were injured, including 19,850 grievous ones.
Barring 2020, the Covid pandemic year, when 4,738 people died in 9,817 accidents, deaths remained above 5,000 and continued to rise over the next four years, he said.
According to the data, 5,081 people were killed in 2021, 5,467 in 2022 and 5,739 in 2023. The year 2024 witnessed the highest number of deaths, with 6,142 fatalities recorded in 12,375 road accidents, Jena said in reply to a query by BJP MLA from Jharsuguda, Tankadhar Tripathy.
The minister said the government spent Rs 89.73 crore on road safety initiatives over the past five financial years (2020-21 to 2024-25).
In addition, Rs 23.17 crore was provided as financial assistance to accident victims under the Solatium Fund Scheme between 2020 and 2024.
Jena said the government has taken several measures to reduce accidents, including public awareness campaigns on road safety and refresher training for heavy vehicle drivers.
He said a standard operating procedure (SOP) has been issued to prevent accidents during the picnic season, and 23 truck terminals have been set up along national and state highways. The government is also providing free tea to heavy vehicle drivers at roadside dhabas during nighttime, he added.
An Intelligent Enforcement Management System has been installed on major stretches of national and state highways, while a Ghat Warning System has been implemented on major ghat roads of the state, the minister said.
Besides, the state has deployed 37 interceptors and 38 highway patrolling vehicles to enforce traffic rules and take action against the violators, the transport minister said.
PTI
