Draft rules proposed by Odisha's Commerce and Transport department could subject road contractors and engineers to criminal prosecution and fines under the Motor Vehicles Act for fatal design faults.
The regulations mandate personal legal compliance declarations from lead engineers before project clearance, alongside timelines of 7 to 30 days to remove urban hazards like open drains.
The proposal follows rising state road fatalities that reached 6,483 in 2025, representing a 65% increase since 2014.