Odisha gets highway patrolling units

Eighteen patrolling unitswere rolled out for various state and national highways acrossOdisha on Monday by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.

Patnaik said that these units will play a crucial rolein saving the lives of accident victims on highways.

He said the state government has a target of creating36 patrolling units in various accident-prone stretches.

The functioning and experience of these 18 units inthe first phase will guide the government for further actionand future initiatives, he added.

Patnaik asked officials to start more sensitisationinitiatives for drivers on various road safety mechanisms andlaws relating to it.

The introduction of the highway patrolling will helpreduce the time for taking an accident victim from the spot ofan accident to the nearest hospital, he said.

''The quicker we can take an injured person tohospitals, the better is the chance of survival,'' Patnaiksaid.

Around 4,000 people die in road mishaps in Odishaevery year, an official said.