Orissa: 4,000 died in road accidents in a year

As many as 4,217 people were killed and 11,606 were injured in 10,356 separate road accidents in Orissa in 2015, according to data released by the Union ministry of road transport and highways.

The report said that the most number of accidents took place due to overloading, which claimed lives of 1,350 people. 427 people were killed in accidents due to drunken driving.

Waking up to the harsh reality, the state government decided to install speed governors on all buses other than passenger four-wheelers.

The installation process of the speed governors is expected to be completed by October 31.

Moreover, a special squad will be constituted to keep a close eye on drivers and to prevent drunken driving and the use of mobile phones during driving.

Bus drivers have been asked not to keep cell phones with them while driving. A toll-free number will also be provided to bus passengers, for them to file complaints against the drivers.

“All the buses will be fitted with a speed governor by October 31. The bus and truck associations are creating awareness among drivers to prevent drunken driving, overloading, over-speeding and usage of mobile,” said transport commissioner Chandrasekhar Kumar.