CHENNAI: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has unveiled the ambitious ‘Zero Accident Day’ (ZAD) campaign, a citizen-centric road safety initiative conceptualised by RBG Labs at IIT Madras.

According to IIT-M, the 23-day campaign, spearheaded by Odisha’s Commerce and Transport Department, seeks to instil a culture of responsible road behaviour through widespread public engagement.

“Flagged off at Loka Seva Bhavan in Bhubaneswar, the initiative places women at the forefront of road safety advocacy, recognising that over 80% of road fatalities in India involve men. The campaign aims to reframe road safety as a household conversation, with women influencing their communities to adopt safer commuting practices,” a press note from IIT-M said.

CM Majhi said, “This pioneering initiative fosters a shift that transforms road safety into a collective civic responsibility. ‘Zero Accident Day’ is a pledge to save lives and redefine how we approach road mobility.”

Minister for Commerce and Transport Bibhuti Bhusan Jena underscored the need for value-based education, stating, “Awareness alone isn’t enough—we need to internalise safety. Our collaboration with IIT-M gives this mission scientific depth and direction.”

ZAD will engage diverse communities including gig workers, students, LGBTQ+ groups, and software professionals through creative campaigns—reels competitions, essay contests, photography and cultural programmes. It will also introduce ‘Zero Tolerance Days’ to reward safe behaviour and deter violations.

Prof V Kamakoti, director of IIT-M, noted, “We are committed to reducing fatalities through data-driven, behaviourally informed interventions.”

Adding to this, Prof Venkatesh Balasubramanian of RBG Labs said, “Our goal is to make ‘Come Home Safe’ not just a slogan, but a daily social norm.”

Transport Commissioner Amitabh Thakur summed it up: “ZAD marks a paradigm shift—from enforcement to empowerment—where safety becomes everyone’s responsibility.”