As many as 38,518 persons were killed in road accidents from 2005 to 2015 while only 145 driving licences (Dl) were suspended owing to rash and reckless driving in the State in the last 11 years. Replying to a question of Dilip Ray in the State Assembly on Saturday, Transport Minister Ramesh Chandra Majhi informed that between 2005 and 2015, property worth about Rs 433.81 crore was lost in the road accidents.
Giving details, Minister Majhi said while 7,593 accidents occurred in 2005 in the State, 2,531 persons were killed, 4,312 were seriously injured and as many as 5,864 sustained mild injury. The loss of property was to the tune of Rs 17.84 lakh while 25 Dls were suspended. In 2009, 8,892 accidents took place in which 3,527 persons were killed, 4,589 were critically injured and 6,707 received mild injury. The property loss was worth Rs 109 crore and 17 Dls were suspended. In 2014, the number of accidents rose to 9,648, while number of causalities stood at 3,931. As many as 5,667 sustained serious injury, while 5,420 received minor injury. Rs 70 crore property was lost due to the mishaps while only one Dl was suspended.
In 2015, 10,542 road accidents took place; 4,303 were killed, 6,088 were injured seriously and 5,737 received minor injury. Property worth Rs 25 crore was lost while only nine Dls were suspended.
Since road accidents caused more deaths and left more people handicapped due to injuries than by any fatal diseases like AIDs, malaria etc in Odisha, Ray demanded that the Road Transport Department should take steps for controlling the road mishaps by coordinating with various other departments and strictly implement the guidelines of the Road Safety Council of the Central Government.