The Commerce and Transport Department of the Government of Odisha, in collaboration with RBG Labs at IIT Madras, has announced the launch of the Zero Accident Day (ZAD) campaign in Keonjhar district.
This significant initiative aligns with the “Come Home Safe” vision of Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi. It builds on the successful pilot of ZAD in Bhubaneswar, which resulted in a noticeable reduction in road accidents and raised widespread awareness about safe road practices.
The campaign in Keonjhar will run as a 14-day behavioural nudge-based movement designed to integrate education, awareness, enforcement, and community participation. Keonjhar was strategically chosen for this initiative due to its status as an accident-prone area, signifying the state’s deep commitment to road safety.
The Zero Accident Day concept was initially piloted in Bhubaneswar, where intensive Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) drives, community involvement, and data-driven enforcement led to measurable improvements. This initiative successfully reduced accidents during the campaign compared to the previous year and engaged schools, colleges, and citizen groups in the process. Its effectiveness prompted the decision to replicate the model in high-risk districts like Keonjhar.
The roadmap for the Keonjhar ZAD was finalised in a strategy meeting chaired by Transport Commissioner Amitabh Thakur, IPS. IIT Madras provided data insights, including crash severity, accident peak hours, violation trends, and vehicle classifications based on eDAR data. Present at the meeting were District Magistrate and Collector Vishal Singh, IAS, the Superintendent of Police, Additional District Magistrate, and senior officials from the Commerce & Transport Department.
Speaking at the event, Transport Commissioner Amitabh Thakur stated, “Bhubaneswar has demonstrated that behavioural change is achievable when the government, citizens, and academia collaborate. Keonjhar must now build on this success and serve as a model for the entire state.”
The campaign will utilise a multi-faceted approach to reduce accidents and promote long-term behavioural change. Awareness drives will be conducted through traditional and digital media, workshops in schools and colleges, and outreach via social media, with support from IIT Madras. Community engagement will be encouraged through volunteers, students, and local leaders who will act as ‘Road Safety Ambassadors’ by conducting plays, street campaigns, and public interactions. Enforcement efforts will be data-driven, targeting violations such as speeding, riding without helmets, overloading, and drunk driving, prioritising counselling over punitive measures. IIT Madras will also provide technical support for identifying “blackspots” and emerging hazardous locations, guiding both enforcement and engineering interventions.
The campaign in Keonjhar aims not only for a single Zero Accident Day but also to foster a culture of safety, dignity, and responsibility on the roads. By combining data-driven insights, behavioural science, and community participation, Odisha is setting a national benchmark for innovative road safety models under the transformative vision of CM Shri Mohan Charan Majhi and the long-term goal of Vikshit Odisha 2047.
