Bhubaneswar: As part of an intensified awareness campaign and enforcement drive to prevent road accidents and related fatalities, the Odisha government will observe “Zero Fatality Week” from April 1 7.
Calling road accidents a big challenge for the state, Usha Padhee, principal secretary, Commerce & Transport department said, “Every life is precious. Road safety is a high priority area for our government and we are taking lot of initiatives for reduction of road accidents in the state. The government has adopted four-fold strategy- Education, Engineering, Enforcement and Emergency care to ensure nil death during the week. There is nothing more important and pious than saving the life of a person who has met with an accident.”
The Commerce & Transport department has issued a standard operating procedure (SOP) to all stakeholder departments, district collectors and SPs/DCPs for the drive. The responsibilities for Home (Police), H&FW, Works, Rural Development, Housing & Urban Development departments have been specified in the SOP to achieve zero casualty during the week, a release of the department stated.
The H&FW department has been requested to sensitise the groups about zero fatality week who would support with blood arrangements to accident victims regularly. Trauma Care Centres have been instructed by the department to remain prepared for round the clock service.
While the H&FW Department and NHAI will ensure deployment of ambulances in accident prone areas and highways, Works Department and road owning agencies have been requested to install adequate signages, repair potholes and roads where required. They have also been requested to ensure proper traffic calming measures, 500 mtrs before the junction points where rural/urban approach roads meet the highways.
H & UD Department have been requested to restrict movement of stray animals on the road and removal of encroachments from National Highway & State Highway to ensure non parking of vehicles.
Enforcement wing of RTOs along with police personnel will conduct stringent enforcement throughout the week. Besides, OSRTC, Bus Owners’ Associations and Truck Owners’ Associations, Auto Rickshaw Owner’s Associations have been asked to sensitise drivers about good driving behaviour and help accident victims if they come across on the road. NGOs and first responder groups (Rakshak) have been requested to stay alert and help in the zero fatality mission.
It may be noted that Odisha witnessed 11,663 road accidents with 5,467 fatalities in 2022. There is an increase in fatalities by 7.60 % in fatalities as compared with 2021, the release stated.
