In a landmark move, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi today declared road safety an integral part of good governance while launching a series of transformative initiatives and infrastructure projects during the ongoing National Road Safety Month.
Addressing a state-level programme at Lok Seva Bhawan’s convention hall, the Chief Minister expressed deep concern over rising road accidents across the state and nation, urging citizens to strictly follow traffic rules. He announced that road safety will henceforth be treated as a key pillar of good governance, with accountability measures for districts and institutions.
A highlight of the day was the launch of the ‘Mukhya Mantri Sadak Suraksha Yojana Samman’ – an award scheme to recognise and reward districts, educational institutions, and private organisations for outstanding contributions to road safety. Top-performing districts will receive incentives, while underperformers will be held accountable.
Emphasising a comprehensive approach, CM Majhi endorsed the globally recognised four ‘E’s – Education, Enforcement, Engineering, and Emergency Care – while personally adding two more: Environment (pollution control) and Evaluation (regular assessment of safety measures).
Among the innovative measures unveiled was a pilot ‘Alert Notification Bell’ system at Kalinga Ghat, where sirens will automatically sound when vehicles approach from opposite directions on the ghat road. If successful, the system will be replicated across other ghat sections.
In a boost to sustainable mobility, the Chief Minister inaugurated 15 electric vehicle charging stations in Bhubaneswar, with 85 more under construction. He also dedicated 14 new Atal Bus Stands built at a cost of ₹156.53 crore across 10 districts.
The Odisha State Road Transport Corporation (OSRTC) received a major upgrade with the induction of 100 new BS-6 compliant modern buses worth Rs 46 crore and the launch of a Closed Loop Smart Transit Card system enabling cashless ticketing. Simultaneously, 25 new electric buses were flagged off from a state-of-the-art depot in Berhampur under CRUT.
The Works Department saw the groundbreaking and inauguration of 71 projects worth Rs 6,700 crore. Key among them:
- Foundation stone for a new elevated corridor from Jaydev Vihar to Nandankanan at an estimated cost of Rs 952 crore, featuring four flyovers.
- Foundation stone for a new ultra-modern Lok Seva Bhawan and expanded Assembly complex (300 seats post-delimitation) on 71.13 acres at an estimated Rs 3,623 crore.
The Chief Minister stressed that world-class road infrastructure and safe traffic systems are essential for achieving the vision of a Prosperous and Developed Odisha. He appealed for public cooperation and ended with the slogan: “Drive Safe, Come Home Safe.”
Commerce & Transport Minister Bibhuti Bhushan Jena and Works Minister Prithviraj Harichandan also spoke, highlighting technology-driven solutions and the government’s commitment to pothole-free, widened roads under the New Road Policy.
