BHUBANESWAR: Road accidents and fatalities in the State are on the decline. Implementation of the amended Motor Vehicles (MV) Act that came into force on September 1, is one of the major contributing factors in bringing down the mishaps.
As per a report released during the State Road Safety Council meet here on Wednesday, the number of accidents has reduced by around 19 per cent (pc) in October and 12 pc in September compared to last year.
Commerce and Transport Minister Padmanabha Behera, who chaired the meet, said it is for the first time that the rate of accidents in Odisha in on a declining trend in the last five years.
"Although from January to September, 2019, the fatalities have increased by about 4.6 per cent against the corresponding period last year, the fatalities from July to September have reduced by 4.33 pc compared to same quarter of last year," he said.
Behera said the new MV Act could be assumed to be one of the major factors in reduction of road accidents. Efforts will continue to strengthen implementation of the new rules and hope the fatality rate will come down further in the months to come, he said.
The report, however, made an observation that the number of fatalities has soared in districts like Boudh, Rayagada, Sonepur, Kandhamal, Deogarh and Malkangiri. “We will strictly enforce the Act in these areas where number of accidents is still high,” the Minister said.
In Odisha, 5,315 people were killed and over 5,000 severely injured in road accidents in 2018. The State’s fatality rate (death per 100 accidents) is 47 compared to the national average of 32. The Sambalpur-Sohela stretch of NH-53 has been identified as the biggest killer stretch in the State. While at least 13 persons die on every 10 km of the National Highway, Bhubaneswar-Puri NH-316 records 12 deaths on every 10 km, the report stated.
Though NH-16 between Jaleswar and Ichhapurm witnesses 11 deaths per 10 km, the section holds the record of highest road fatality in absolute numbers. The NH section reports 521 deaths a year. Commerce and Transport Secretary G Srinivas said NHAI has been asked to initiate remedial measures at the 193 black spots identified so far and make lighting arrangements at inter-section points.