Bhubaneswar/Keonjhar: Taking forward the vision of “Samrudha Odisha, Viksit Odisha,” Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Saturday launched the “Zero Accident Day” (ZAD) or Shunya Durghatana Divas campaign in Keonjhar district, with a call to make Odisha an accident-free state. The initiative is being spearheaded by the Commerce and Transport Department.
Marking the launch, the Chief Minister inaugurated a Zero Accident Selfie Point, flagged off road safety awareness chariots across all 13 blocks of Keonjhar, and kicked off a district-wide signature campaign. He also felicitated road safety propagators for spreading awareness in the region.
Speaking on the occasion, Majhi underlined that road safety is a shared responsibility. “Safety is not only the government’s responsibility. It is the collective responsibility of every individual. Our goal is to take the Zero Accident Day message to every city, village, and even household. Be aware yourself and make others aware,” he said.
Highlighting the special challenges of Keonjhar, a mining-rich district with thousands of trucks and heavy vehicles plying daily, the Chief Minister urged citizens, transporters, and companies to strictly follow safety norms. “All companies, drivers, and industry workers must give first priority to safety. Regular maintenance of heavy vehicles and driver training are essential. If strictly adhered to, many accidents can be prevented,” he added.
Keonjhar is the first district in Odisha to implement Zero Accident Day after its pilot success in Bhubaneswar. With technical assistance from IIT Madras, a 14-day program has been launched to guide preventive measures and strengthen road safety mechanisms in the district.
Several dignitaries attended the launch, including Rajya Sabha MP Sujit Kumar, Keonjhar MP Anant Nayak, Ghasipura MLA Badri Narayan Patra, Champua MLA Sanatan Mahakud, Patna MLA Akhila Nayak, Telkoi MLA Fakir Mohan Nayak, Anandpur MLA Abhimanyu Sethi, DGP Yogesh Bahadur Khurania, STA Commissioner Amitabh Thakur, DIG Brijesh Ray, and District Collector Vishal Singh.
The Chief Minister emphasized that the campaign represents Odisha’s collective resolve to reduce accidents and safeguard lives, turning road safety into a people’s movement.
