ROURKELA: Keonjhar and Sundargarh - two of Odisha’s mining heartland districts recorded a staggering 2,416 road accident deaths between 2022 and 2024. On an average, the state records 5,000 road mishap fatalities in a year.
According to police data, the Rourkela police district jurisdiction including the Koida Mining Circle (KMC) reported 602 fatalities from 1,361 fatal and non-fatal accidents between 2022 and 2024.
Similarly, the Sundargarh police district covering the coal mining belt of Hemgir recorded 712 deaths from 1,061 fatal and non-fatal road mishaps. The Keonjhar police district under which the Joda Mining Circle comes has witnessed 1,102 road fatalities from 2,087 accident cases.
Though data for the first quarter of 2025 (January-March) is not available yet, officials admit the accident trends remain concerning and in response, the Odisha Police is preparing a comprehensive action plan to curb the mishaps by at least 30 per cent in the second half of 2025.
During a meeting of the Western Range (WR) of police on Friday, Rourkela and Sundargarh police districts and the Keonjhar police district officials discussed targeted measures to curb road mishaps by 30-35 per cent between July and December 2025.
DIG of Police (WR) Brijesh Kumar Rai said, “A road map is being prepared to take holistic measures to substantially curb road accidents with focus on addressing reasons causing frequent mishaps and enforcement.”
He stated that several accident-prone regions have been identified, including NH 143 stretch from Vedvyas to Rajamunda, NH 520 stretch from Rajamunda to Koida in Rourkela police district limits, the Bankibhal-Sundargarh, Gopalpur-Taparia and Bankibahal-Kanika roads, the Joda-Barbil-Koida and Joda-Barbil-Gandhamardan-Suakathi roads under Keonjhar limits.
He said a drone survey has been carried in most accident-prone points which would soon be monitored using electronic surveillance system. Efforts are underway to collaborate with National Institute of Technology-Rourkela to conduct survey of NHs to analyse the causes of frequent mishaps and also find out engineering faults and black-spots to get them corrected by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).
Police are also taking help of iRAD (Integrated Road Accident Database) application to analyse day and timings of road accidents to ensure necessary corrective measures. “Instructions have been issued to strengthen enforcement with strong action against erratic parking of heavy vehicles on roads, lane-indiscipline, rash, reckless and drunken driving,” he added.
Bonai MLA Laxman Munda said dedicated parking areas should be created in Koida mining region for heavy vehicles transporting minerals to curb accidents in the region.
Sundargarh MLA Jogesh Singh echoed Munda’s sentiments and said separate parking areas should be created for heavy vehicles in the coal-belt of Hemgir. “Besides that, driving skill enhancement programs should be held for all vehicle operators in the Hemgir coal belt,” Singh added.