Odisha recorded as many as 27,167 road accident fatalities in the past five years at an annual average of 5,433 deaths, while 50,041 people were injured during the same period, the Odisha Assembly was informed on Friday.
In a written reply, Commerce and Transport Minister Bibhuti Bhusan Jena said the state accounted for over 56,884 road accidents in the last five years, at an annual average of 11,376.
The State Government has disbursed Rs 23 crore as ex-gratia compensation to the legal heirs of those killed and those injured in the road accidents from 2020 to 2024, the minister said.
The government has taken a series of measures to curb the drunken driving cases, unfit vehicles, cases of driving without a licence and traffic management. Besides, Rs 89.73 crore has also been spent during the five years to reduce road accidents and consequent fatalities. Further massive awareness campaigns to sensitise the people have been undertaken to make the roads safer for four-wheelers, two-wheelers, and pedestrians, the minister further said.
The government has also chalked out a Standard Operating Procedure and has been imparting training to drivers at periodic intervals to hone their skills of safe driving. The occurrence of road accidents is more pronounced during picnic seasons, the minister said, adding that the government has deployed 37 interceptors and 38 highway patrolling squads to book the motor vehicle act violators.