In a proactive step towards reducing road accidents, the Commerce & Transport Department, Government of Odisha, successfully concluded a three-day specialised training programme on “Design Thinking for Safer Roads” for engineers from key road-owning agencies.
The programme, organised with technical expertise from RBG Labs, IIT Madras, brought together nearly 50 engineers from the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the Public Works Department (PW&D). The hands-on training focused on embedding design thinking principles, global best practices, and data-driven strategies into road infrastructure planning and execution.
Led by Prof. Venkatesh Balasubramanian, Head of RBG Labs, IIT Madras, the first day covered accident trends, critical road safety challenges, and the application of design thinking in road design. Participants conducted field visits to identify safety gaps and propose context-specific engineering solutions.
The second day featured a live demonstration of the Integrated Road Safety Dashboard developed by IIT Madras, highlighting the power of location intelligence in prioritising safety interventions. Engineers engaged in detailed discussions on road safety audits, audit triggers, and design considerations. They also performed virtual and on-site safety audits using satellite imagery and field data. Shri Rabindra Jena, Motor Vehicle Inspector, RTO-2, Bhubaneswar, shared insights on road signage, traffic calming measures, and resolving pending iRAD cases.
On the final day, participants presented their field-based analyses and preliminary safety intervention proposals. Sessions explored low-cost safety measures, impact assessment, enforcement strategies, key provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act and CMVR, and the importance of education, emergency response, and driver behaviour in crash prevention.
The programme ended with an evaluation of learning outcomes, receiving enthusiastic feedback from participants who appreciated the practical and field-oriented approach.
This initiative underscores Odisha’s commitment to data-driven, coordinated road safety efforts as the state advances towards the vision of Viksit Odisha 2036.
