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Story summary
- Odisha state government proposes criminal liability for contractors whose faulty road work harms pedestrians.
- Lead engineers must sign a safety compliance declaration before project clearance.
- Section 198A allows fines up to INR1 lakh for pedestrian deaths, without imprisonment.
- Road deaths rose 65% from 3,931 in 2014 to 6,483 in 2025.
- Local authorities must build continuous footpaths on both sides of urban arterial roads and ban parking on them.