Odisha Govt Launches App For People To File Complaint On Riding Without Helmet

Bhubaneswar: In order to further strengthen road safety, the Odisha government has sought participation of citizens through a sentinel application.

The Transport department, in a release on Friday, stated that the citizens can report about violation of the road safety norm of riding without helmet through the Next Gen mParivahan app ‘Citizen Sentinel’ option. The app is developed by National Informatics Centre (NIC).

“Alert citizens can contribute to making Odisha roads safer and act as a force multiplier for enforcement team. In the Citizen Sentinel option, ‘No Helmet violation’ can be registered by uploading the live video and image. One needs to capture violations of driving without helmet (photo as well as video) on smart phones and upload the same on the application. On the basis of inputs, e-challans will be issued by Transport authorities after verification,” said the release.

As per the data, 34% of the deaths in road accidents involved two-wheelers in the state in 2022. Total 1,695 people lost their lives and 2,615 were injured for riding without helmet.

“Road Safety is a shared responsibility. To begin with, we are seeking help of citizens to keep check on those who ride without helmet. In future, other traffic violations will be added in the Citizen Sentinel option. Due to continuous enforcement activities, people are using helmets in the urban areas but are unfortunately avoiding wearing helmets in rural areas and highways where protection is much more needed,” said Lalmohan Sethi, Additional Commissioner, Transport, Road Safety & Enforcement.

He further said though wearing helmets has been made mandatory for the pillion riders, it is not followed strictly. If riders take care of own safety by wearing helmets, they should not risk pillion rider’s safety.

“Citizens can upload photos and videos of both rider as well as pillion rider for riding without helmet. While clicking photographs and videos, they should insure that the violation as well as vehicle number is clearly captured in the photograph and video. Location, date and time of violation will be automatically captured from live images and videos uploaded. Identity of any person reporting traffic rules violations will not be disclosed,” Sethi said.