Engineers to get road safety lessons

Bhubaneswar: With faulty engineering and design of roads often leading to accidents in the state, the government has decided to organize a training programme for engineers of the works department and National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) on road safety.
Commerce and transport secretary Bishnupada Sethi has approved a proposal sent by transport commissioner Arun Bothra for the engagement of a reputed organization having expertise in the field of road safety and engineering for this purpose.
“You are requested to submit a detailed plan of the proposed training programme, expenditure and number of persons, who would be trained, to this department. Besides, your proposal for imparting road safety and first-aid training to home guards and constables, engaged on traffic duty, has been approved,” Sethi’s letter to Bothra said.
Of the total 5,081 accident deaths in the state in 2021, at least 30% fatalities occurred due to faulty engineering of roads, including lack of signage. “While road accidents are overwhelmingly caused by rash driving and human error, untapped potential to prevent accidents and fatalities lies in road infrastructure,” a transport department official said. The state transport authority said simple road engineering interventions like provision of appropriate markings and traffic signs, minor layout changes at junctions are proven measures to significantly reduce road accidents.