Bhubaneswar: In a new initiative, the Odisha government has urged the Puja committees across the state to disseminate the road safety messages during the upcoming festive season.

The State Transport Authority (STA) has requested the committees to display road safety messages at the Puja mandaps.

Transport Commissioner Amitabh Thakur has written to all district Collectors, SPs, and the DCPs of Cuttack and Bhubaneswar requesting them to discuss the matter with Puja committees during the coordination meetings ahead of the festival season.

The officials have been asked to request all Puja committees to participate in this initiative. Besides, local community leaders (Sahi Murabi) will be encouraged to work towards making their localities accident-free.

“Road accidents have become a matter of serious concern. The state government is giving importance on road safety awareness to reduce accidents. During the festive season, large numbers of devotees gather at various Puja mandaps, creating an opportunity to reach a wider audience with road safety messages. With this in mind, Puja committees have been urged to disseminate such messages,” stated the Transport Commissioner.

Through this campaign, the importance of following traffic rules for safe travel will be highlighted before the people. Puja committees can use various means to spread these messages among the public. Similarly, the Puja panels can also disseminate the road safety messages at the cultural events organised by them during the festivals, said the STA.

“Senior members of Puja committees are often respected as Sahi Murabi and their words carry weight among the youth. Therefore, even after the Puja festivities, they can take the lead in ensuring their locality remains accident-free. The road safety messages should be prioritised not only during Durga Puja but also during other major festivals,” added the Transport Commissioner.

Moreover, all Regional Transport Officers (RTOs) have been instructed by the STA to actively participate in this campaign and ensure that road safety messages reach the maximum number of people.