Bhubaneswar: Odisha will soon roll out Zero Accident Development (ZAD) programme as a part of its road safety initiatives.
This was decided at a meeting chaired by Principal Secretary, Commerce and Transport Department Usha Padhee, Transport Commissioner Amitabh Thakur, and Road Safety Consultant Prof Venkatesh Balasubramanian from IIT Madras.
The meeting highlighted several key initiatives aimed at reducing road accidents and promoting safe driving practices in the state.
The official release further informed that Chintan Shibira event will be held at a venue provided by the Odisha government, with full support offered, to bring together stakeholders and experts to discuss and deliberate on road safety strategies.
Capacity building and training programs were also emphasised, with Prof Balasubramanian proposing brainstorming sessions for master trainers, investigation officers, healthcare professionals, teachers, and other key stakeholders. These programmes aim to enhance the skills and knowledge of these stakeholders in promoting road safety and reducing accidents.
The development of Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) strategies was also highlighted, with a focus on submitting materials to the department to facilitate their work. A simple, dynamic dashboard for Odisha was requested to enable daily data review and monitoring, which will help track progress, identify areas for improvement, and inform data-driven decision-making.
The meeting concluded with a clear roadmap for implementing these initiatives and a commitment to working together to promote road safety in Odisha.
