Odisha registers 360 fatalities due to road mishaps during lockdown

Bhubaneswar: Despite lockdown and shutdown, as many as 360 persons have died in road accidents in two months in Odisha.

This was revealed at a review meeting on Implementation of Road Safety Action Plan chaired by Chief Secretary Asit Tripathy through video conference on July 22.

At the meeting, Tripathy informed that by the order of Supreme Court Committee on Road Safety, the State Action Plan was prepared for the period 2018-19, 2019-20 and 2020-21 and submitted the report to the apex court panel.

As per the report, the fatalities due to road mishaps have reduced by 32 percent during January and May as compared to the same period of last year. However, 360 persons have been killed in various road accidents during April and May when entire State was under lockdown due to COVID-19 pandemic.

As directed by the SC Committee, the agencies have been asked for stringent enforcement against triple riding, wrong side driving, rash driving and non use of helmet in two wheelers.

The State Commerce and Transport Department urged other departments and enforcement agencies to submit the revised road safety action plan for the year 2020-21 and 2021-22 by August 17 for preparation of Integrated Road Safety Action Plan and submission to the Supreme Court on road safety.