BHUBANESWAR: The state government has expressed strong displeasure over the rise in road accident deaths and sought explanations from district collectors within fifteen days. The government also came down heavily on the police and regional transport officers (RTOs) for poor enforcement drives against the traffic violators.
“As reported by the state Crime Brach, road accident fatalities increased by 27.5% in Odisha in September and October of 2020 as compared to the corresponding two months in 2019. While 684 accidents deaths were reported in September and October of 2019, the figure increased to 872 in the same two months this year,” read a letter by the state commerce and transport secretary Madhu Sudan Padhi to district collectors, SPs and RTOs.
Of the 30 districts, fatalities increased in 21 districts in September and October. Accident deaths in Boudh, Malkangiri, Koraput and Kandhamal districts have increased by 100% during the period. Cuttack, Khurda, Ganjam, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj and Sundargarh districts witnessed a rise in accident deaths by over 50%.
The government said the accident deaths have increased due to the miserable enforcement activities in districts. “Huge government funds have been spent on the purchase of equipment like interceptor vehicles, alcohol breathalysers and barricades. Huge money is also being spent on the wages of contractual staff engaged to operate the equipment. But the poor enforcement data showed the equipment are not being used properly,” Padhi wrote.
In view of the increased fatalities, the transport department has decided to review the performance of the enforcement drives on daily basis. “The collectors are requested to submit reports within 15 days, explaining the reasons of the alarming increase in the road fatalities and measures to reduce the deaths,” Padhi said.
Saying that the Supreme Court committee on road safety expressed displeasure over the rising accident deaths in the state, the government has asked the police and RTOs to launch stringent enforcement against violators of over-speeding, drink driving, helmet law and use of mobile phone while driving.
It must be noted the accident deaths have increased by 36% from 2014 (3931 deaths) to 2019 (5333 deaths). Altogether 2401 persons already died in road crashes between January and July this year, official statistics said.