Bhubaneswar, May 6 (IANS) Amid a sharp rise in road accidents, the Odisha government has directed Regional Transport Officers (RTOs) to take proactive steps to curb such incidents through stricter enforcement and greater public awareness about traffic rule violations.

According to an official statement on Tuesday, the directions were issued by Transport Commissioner Amitabh Thakur during a special review meeting held with all Deputy Transport Commissioners, RTOs, and Additional RTOs in Bhubaneswar under the instructions of Commerce and Transport Minister Bibhuti Bhushan Jena.

The meeting was held at the office of the State Transport Authority, with senior officials attending in person while RTOs joined through virtual mode, and all RTOs were directed to undertake comprehensive and district-specific measures to effectively reduce road accidents.

Transport Commissioner Thakur said that the increasing number of road accidents is a matter of serious concern and emphasised that the state government has issued clear directions to take stringent measures to address the issue, calling upon all RTOs to take proactive action at the ground level.

Thakur also added that many drivers are not adhering to road safety norms and are driving recklessly, thereby endangering not only their own lives but also those of others, and stressed that enforcement must be carried out in a planned and systematic manner with particular focus on curbing violations such as drunken driving, carrying passengers in goods vehicles, illegal parking on highways, unauthorised vehicle modifications affecting stability, and the use of mobile phones while driving.

He highlighted that district-specific road safety challenges must be addressed through effective coordination among departments and with the support of the district administration.

Emphasising a broader role, the Transport Commissioner said, “RTOs must go beyond their role as regulators and also function as educators by creating widespread awareness among the public regarding traffic violations and their severe consequences, and by promoting road safety as a mass movement with active participation from citizens.”

He also indicated that, going forward, road safety performance will form a key component of the performance appraisal of RTOs.

On the occasion, the Transport Commissioner highlighted various initiatives undertaken by the department in the field of road safety and ongoing reforms in the transport sector, with particular emphasis on reforms in the driving licence issuance system, ensuring transparency in vehicle fitness certification, and leveraging technology to control reckless driving.

RTOs have further been instructed to ensure that passenger vehicles accord the highest priority to passenger safety and to closely monitor accident-prone locations, taking necessary corrective measures through proper assessment and inter-departmental coordination.

–IANS

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