Odisha Government determined push to enhance road safety and save lives

Bhubaneswar:11/2/25: In a determined push to enhance road safety and save lives, Principal Secretary of the Commerce and Transport Department, Usha Padhee, chaired a high-level review meeting on Tuesday. The session focused on assessing ongoing initiatives and formulating strategic interventions to create a safer and more efficient transportation network across the state.

The review evaluated the implementation status of previous decisions and analyzed the latest data on road accidents. While notable progress was acknowledged, urgent attention was drawn to key areas such as black spot rectification, the full-scale implementation of the Intelligent Enforcement Management System (IEMS), and compliance with Supreme Court Committee on Road Safety (SCCoRS) guidelines.

The rising number of road accidents in certain districts, particularly in the mining belt, was flagged as a major concern. Participants emphasized the need for enhanced enforcement strategies, stricter compliance monitoring, and robust emergency response mechanisms. IIT Madras, the state’s technical partner, presented innovative data-driven approaches, including scientific crash investigations, road safety awareness campaigns, and capacity-building initiatives for enforcement agencies.

The state’s four-pronged approach—engineering, enforcement, education, and emergency care—was reviewed comprehensively. While initiatives such as highway patrolling, road safety awareness drives, and trauma care enhancements were acknowledged for their positive impact, challenges such as pending e-challan disposals, inadequate enforcement manpower, and gaps in road engineering safety features were highlighted as areas requiring immediate resolution.

The government outlined several priority initiatives, including the accelerated rollout of IEMS across additional highway stretches, the deployment of more highway patrolling vehicles, and the establishment of new Institute of Driving Training and Research (IDTR) centers. Strengthening district-level road safety action plans, creating truck terminals at key locations, enhancing post-accident response mechanisms, and engaging Junior Rakshaks in road safety awareness campaigns were also identified as key focus areas.

A significant development discussed was the ongoing process of amending the Odisha Motor Vehicle Rules, 1993, following amendments to the Central Motor Vehicles Act and Rules. The proposed changes will include provisions for the cancellation of driving licenses for habitual offenders, among other reforms. Additionally, the government is working on integrating the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network & Systems (CCTNS) with the electronic Detailed Accident Report (e-DAR) to facilitate seamless accident data exchange and thorough accident analysis.

To further enhance interdepartmental collaboration, financial assistance will be provided to the police for road safety data digitization, as well as for citizen support in accident cases. Previously, similar support was extended to the Health & Family Welfare Department.

A notable highlight of the discussion was the adoption of the Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) as a crucial measure in improving road safety. During the state-level inaugural function of National Road Safety Month 2025, the Chief Minister of Odisha announced financial support for transport operators to install ADAS devices in their vehicles. In Tuesday’s meeting, the State Transport Authority (STA), Odisha, was tasked with working out the detailed modalities for implementation.

Reaffirming Odisha’s unwavering commitment to reducing road accidents and fatalities, Usha Padhee emphasized the importance of data-driven decision-making, leveraging technology, and strengthening multi-stakeholder partnerships. She urged all stakeholders to coordinate closely and adopt a time-bound approach to achieve the state’s ambitious goal of reducing road traffic deaths and injuries by 50% by 2030, in alignment with national and global road safety objectives.

Among those present at the meeting were Diptesh Kumar Pattanayak, CMD, OSRTC; Poonam T Guha, Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Excise; Chinmay Biswal, Secretary, STA; representatives from IIT Madras; and officials from the Commerce & Transport Department, Health & Family Welfare Department, and School & Mass Education Department. The meeting took place in the 5th-floor conference hall of Kharavela Bhawan.