Bhubaneswar: Odisha’s Sundargarh and Ganjam districts have been ranked among the 100 most accident-prone districts in India, according to a recent communication from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) to the state transport department.
The Ministry cited a survey conducted by a private road safety agency, placing Sundargarh at 84th and Ganjam at 90th in terms of road accidents and fatalities.
Official figures show that Sundargarh recorded 902 accidents in 2024, leading to 521 deaths and 701 injuries. Two-wheeler collisions were the deadliest, accounting for around 120 fatalities (23%), while hit-and-run cases caused at least 106 deaths (20.3%).
In Ganjam, there were 820 accidents last year, resulting in 392 deaths and 710 injuries. Speeding, particularly involving two-wheelers, was the major cause of accidents. Alarmingly, 60% of those killed were not wearing helmets.
Ganjam reported 171 deaths on national highways and 110 on state highways. The district has 328.81 km of national highways and 491.87 km of state highways, with Golanthara, Khallikote, Digapahandi and Sadar police station areas reporting the highest number of accidents.
To curb accidents, the Transport department has proposed multiple measures. Cameras will be installed under the Intelligent Enforcement Management System (IEMS) in Sundargarh and Ganjam to detect and penalize traffic violations.
Additionally, Road Accident Investigation and Support Enforcement (RAISE) teams, comprising police officers and road safety experts, will be deployed to conduct crash investigations and recommend corrective actions in high-risk zones.
Police have been asked to step up enforcement against violators. While local communities and NGOs will be engaged in road safety campaigns, driving licences of drivers responsible for severe accidents will be suspended.
The government has also mandated forensic analysis of fatal accidents to ensure a more scientific and data-driven approach to road safety.
