The Forum is engaging the local communities to understand their road safety concerns and work together to find solutions.
My Life in My Hands:
The Baleshwar Kharagpur Expressway, a crucial road in Odisha, India, has experienced a significant rise in accidents and casualties over the years. With a high volume of vehicles and motorcycles traveling daily, the road witnessed many accidents and injuries. The survival rate for grievously injured patients was alarmingly low, highlighting the need for timely first aid and medical treatment. To transform the Baleshwar Kharagpur Expressway into one of the safest highways in the country, the Forum for Prevention of Road Accidents, in partnership with IL & FS Transportation Limited, launched the “My Life in My Hands” initiative. This unique project aims to empower communities along the highway by providing road safety training and accident response measures. Villages, petrol pumps, businesses, and educational institutions are being sensitized, and special programs are organized for school children, college students, and local residents. The project’s focused on 11 identified black spot stretches covering 35 villages in Baleshwar and West Medinipur districts. Notably, Village-level Road Safety Committees were established to enhance accident prevention and quick response capabilities, and they actively report violators to authorities while promoting compliance within their respective villages. The project has yielded positive results. The sensitization programs and road safety training conducted for various stakeholders, including communities, businesses, and educational institutions, have increased awareness about road safety issues. These efforts have contributed to creating a safer environment on the expressway, reducing accidents, and promoting responsible behavior among road users.
Pappu Zebra Road Sense Campaign:
The Forum for Prevention of Road Accidents (FPRA) launched the impactful Pappu Zebra Road Sense Campaign in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack cities. The primary objective of this campaign is to promote road safety among young road users, with a particular focus on school children. This joint initiative between FPRA, the Police Commissionerate of Bhubaneshwar-Cuttack, and OrgPEOPLE from Kerala draws inspiration from the highly successful Pappu Zebra road sense campaign initiated by the Kerala Police in June 2009. The campaign aims to raise awareness about road safety and instill a sense of responsibility among young road users. It has reached approximately 50,000 school students, effectively addressing key road safety matters.
