Road accidents in Odisha claimed more than 25,000 lives from 2018 to 2022

Road accidents have claimed 25,934 lives in Odisha from 2018 to 2022, Commerce and Transport Minister Tukuni Sahu informed the assembly on Thursday. 

Replying to a question from BJP MLA Kusum Tete, the minister said a total of 54,790 accidents were reported in the state during the period in which 25,934 people were killed and 51,873 were injured, PTI reported.  

According to the minister's reply, the highest of 5,467 deaths in road accidents were reported in 2022, while 5,333 people were killed in 2019.

Road accidents claimed the lives of 5,315 people in 2018 and 5,018 people in 2021. The lowest of 4,738 road fatalities were reported in the pandemic year of 2020, despite long durations of lockdowns and severe restrictions on vehicular movement, PTI reported.

As compensation, the state government has provided Rs 2 lakh each to the next kin of the deceased, and Rs 50,000 to those seriously injured due to hit and run by unidentified vehicles. A solatium of Rs 15.68 crore was provided to victims during five years, the minister said, PTI reported. 

The state government has spent Rs 79.21 crore in increasing public awareness about road safety between 2018-19 and 2022-23.