Odisha launches Zero Death Week road safety campaign

The Odisha Government has launched the ‘Zero Death Week’ road safety campaign, a monthly initiative running from September 2026 through March 2027 aimed at reducing road accidents and fatalities. Under the direction of Commerce and Transport Minister Bibhuti Bhushan Jena, the campaign focuses on strict enforcement of traffic regulations and public awareness.

On the first day of the campaign, enforcement agencies issued 44,746 e-challans for various violations. The most frequent offenses included riding without helmets (25,282), over-speeding (4,160), triple riding (1,383), and driving without valid insurance (1,216). Other penalties were issued for seat belt violations, driving without permits, wrong-side driving, and drunk driving.

Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) saw significant activity, with Jharsuguda issuing 571 challans, followed by Cuttack with 516, Puri with 511, Ganjam with 415, and Bhubaneswar-I with 410. In addition to enforcement, the Transport Department is conducting awareness programs and has released a blueprint to develop cities like Bhubaneswar into ‘ideal road safety towns’.