Odisha Govt Extends Time Limit To Claim Damages For Hit-And-Run Accidents

Bhubaneswar: Those seeking compensation for hit-and-run accidents in Odisha will now get more time to file their claims.

The state government has extended the deadline to apply for damages from six months to one year. The aim is to make it easier for beneficiaries to get the compensation, officials said.

“We had been noticing that many legal heirs of hit-and-run victims were not able to apply for compensation within six months. In order to give them more opportunity, we have extended the time limit to one year. The notification regarding the extended deadline has been issued,” Secretary (Commerce and Transport Department) Madhu Sudan Padhi was quoted as saying by The Times of India.

Notably, the Odisha government had launched a solatium fund scheme for the legal heir of a person killed or critically injured in a hit-and-run accident on May 14, 2018. As part of the scheme, the government pays a compensation of Rs 2 lakh for a deceased person and Rs 50,000 for those critically injured.

According to the procedure, an applicant needs to apply for compensation to the regional transport officer (RTO) concerned in whose jurisdiction the accident occurred.

The RTO conducts a probe and then sends a report to the transport commissioner, recommending sanction of damages to the claimant.