The state government has urged the ministry of road transport and highways (MORTH) to launch Integrated Road Accident Database (IRAD) in Odisha. The ministry had rolled out the IT-based solution in six states – Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh—in January this year on pilot basis to analyse the causes of road accidents and devise measures to reduce such mishaps.
Though the IRAD management system was supposed to be extended to other states by April 2020, Covid pandemic posed a major roadblock. State transport secretary Madhusudan Padhi has written to Paresh Kumar Goel, director (road safety) in the MORTH to launch the accident database system in the state.
Once launched, the MORTH will provide funds to the state government to purchase tablets for the police stations for capturing the spot accident data by using the IRAD mobile App. This data can be used for finding the causes of the accidents and remedial measures to improve the road infrastructure, to record the accidents data for the use of police, health services and other concerned departments.
Padhi said at present the police, officials from regional transport offices (RTOs) and road owning agencies jointly conduct post-accident inquiry to find out the cause of the mishaps. “But we have been conducting the joint inspection and data collection manually. For this purpose, a standard operating procedure has been developed. A deputy superintendent of police is currently coordinating with the concerned departments for the joint data collection,” Padhi said.
He said the collection of data through the IRAD would expedite the process of identification of accident black spots, devise short/long/medium term measures to mitigate these accidents and monitor the impact of such road safety measures. “Besides, the digital recording of the data from the accident spot and geo-tagging its location will ensure accuracy and better analysis. Since district-level officers are already involved in the process of collection of data from the accident spot, it will be easier for them to shift to the IRAD. Our concerned departments will provide all necessary support to make the initiative a success. We request for IRAD’s launch in the state immediately,” Padhi said.
Notably, deaths in road accidents dropped by nearly 31.5 % in the state in the first half of 2020 as compared to the corresponding period in 2019. While a total of 3013 persons had died in road accidents between January and June 2019, the casualties stood at 2062 during the same period this year.
Source: Times of India
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