10-08-2025
- Automotive
- New Indian Express
IIT-Madras to develop realtime info system to curb accident fatalities in Odisha
BHUBANESWAR: In a move towards building safer roads through data and community participation, the Odisha government in collaboration with IIT-Madras is developing a realtime road safety dashboard for road awareness and traffic harmony.
This was announced after a high-level meeting chaired by principal secretary of Commerce and Transport department Usha Padhee here on Friday.
'Road safety remains a top priority for the government and the state has undertaken several landmark initiatives, including the observance of zero accident day every month, launch of the 'come home safe' campaign, deployment of the Surakhya mascot for community engagement, and technical capacity-building programmes in partnership with premier institutions like IIT-Madras,' she said.
The dashboard is being developed as a comprehensive digital solution to provide realtime data, analytics and visual insights for proactive road safety interventions. It will act as a central platform for policymakers and citizens alike, bridging technology and public participation.
A key component of the dashboard is the citizen-centric module 'Sahayaka', which will allow people to report road accidents and help reduce emergency response times significantly. Citizens can also nominate Raahveers (Good Samaritans), local heroes and first responders who support road safety at the grassroots level.
Sources said the integration of the dashboard with platforms such as the Emergency Response Support System (ERSS) and eDAR-CCTNS is nearing completion. IIT-Madras is also integrating its 'Sanjaya' road safety super app into the dashboard ecosystem to make it a one-stop solution for all road safety stakeholders in the state.
'The development of the dashboard will unify these efforts under a powerful, data-driven platform to enhance impact,' Padhee said.
Head of RGB labs at IIT-Madras Prof Venkatesh Balasubramanian said the dashboard brings together citizens and administrators on a single platform. It is about democratising road safety and enabling timely action through seamless integration, he added. Transport commissioner Amitabh Thakur, Crime Branch IG Sarthak Sarangi and other senior officials were present.
