Sambalpur: Road Accidents Surge in Sambalpur; 281 Incidents, 140 Deaths in 6 Months, Urgent Safety Measures Discussed
Sambalpur: The first six months of this year have seen a staggering increase in road accidents in Sambalpur, with 35.75% more incidents than the same time last year. There were 207 accidents between January and June of last year, with 112 deaths. This year, during the same time period, 281 accidents occurred, resulting in 140 deaths. This concerning trend was discussed at a District Road Safety Committee review meeting held on Tuesday morning in the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan conference hall.
District Collector Emphasizes Road Safety Measures
District Collector Akshay Sunil Agrawal presided over the meeting, emphasizing the importance of saving lives by strengthening the enforcement team beyond their regular duties. He directed the installation of warning signs in high-risk areas. Additionally, the Regional Transport Department and the police were directed to conduct joint surprise checks and strictly enforce vehicle inspections. The District Collector called for tougher penalties for violators, addressing issues like drunk driving, speeding, and driving without seat belts, which have been on the rise.
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Community Involvement and Infrastructure Improvements
The meeting also discussed a variety of other important topics, such as involving the community in addressing road problems on state and national highways. The topics of discussion included repairing road barriers, resolving parking issues on service roads, improving streetlight and traffic light systems, and managing stray cattle on roads. Representatives from various departments and voluntary organizations, including Additional SP Albinus Kerketa and Regional Transport Officer Ramdas Tudu, attended the meeting.
Enforcement and Penalties
Between January and June, authorities collected fines from 226 people for drunk driving, 2,578 for speeding, 142 for driving without seat belts, 4,063 for not wearing helmets, 138 for using mobile phones while driving, and owners of 80 vehicles for overloading. Additionally, they fined 37 people for violating passenger transportation regulations. During the same time period, the Regional Transport Department reported the cancellation of 437 driver’s licenses.
