Expressing grave concern over frequent road accidents triggered by sand, soil, and construction debris spillage, the Commerce & Transport Minister of Odisha, Bibhuti Bhusan Jena, has directed immediate remedial action to safeguard lives on the state’s roads.
Following the Minister’s instructions, the Transport Commissioner has issued a stern letter to all road-owning and maintaining agencies, including the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), Works Department, Municipal Corporations, Municipalities, and Notified Area Councils (NACs). The letter underscores their legal obligation to keep roads clean, free from hazards, and safe for traffic at all times.
The communication highlights how loose sand and debris on road surfaces drastically reduce tyre grip, causing vehicles—especially two-wheelers—to skid and resulting in fatal crashes. While enforcement measures continue against overloaded and uncovered vehicles transporting materials, the letter stresses that preventing accidents also requires prompt removal of spillages by the responsible agencies.
Citing Section 198A of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, the Transport Commissioner reminded agencies that failure to maintain proper road standards can invite legal action. Agencies have been instructed to implement regular mechanised cleaning, respond immediately to reports of spillage, identify accident-prone stretches, and coordinate closely with traffic enforcement teams.
Any negligence detected during inspections or post-accident investigations will be treated seriously, with accountability fixed at the field officer level.
The directive, issued in the interest of public safety, has been marked as most urgent.
