Bhubaneswar, Jan, 22: At a time when road accidents and fatalities are rising alarmingly in Odisha, the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has given its consent to establish 30 Driving Training Centres (DTCs) in the state. Considering the requirement, the Central Government has also removed restrictions on setting up additional DTCs, if needed.
Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari has conveyed this information in a letter to Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi. A few days earlier, the Chief Minister had written to the Union Minister requesting the establishment of five Institutes of Driving Training and Research (IDTRs) and one Regional Driver Training Centre (RDTC) in Odisha.
In his reply, Mr. Gadkari stated that as per the guidelines issued in January 2025, approval for establishing driving training centres is being granted solely on the basis of population. These norms have been introduced to ensure minimum investment of funds and effective management of training centres. Based on population criteria, Odisha is currently eligible for two IDTRs and four RDTCs.
Earlier, one IDTR was approved at Chhatia in Jajpur district in 2006, and one DTC was approved in Mayurbhanj in 2022. As per ministry norms, districts with a population exceeding 10 lakh are eligible for approval of additional centres.
In view of the increasing accident rate and the growing demand from the industrial sector, one DTC can be established in each district of Odisha, taking the total to 30 DTCs. Moreover, additional DTCs may also be set up in districts where there is further need, provided the population exceeds 10 lakh and there is no existing IDTR or RDTC in the concerned block.
Taking all these factors into consideration, Mr. Gadkari stated that if the Odisha government submits a proposal for one additional IDTR, four RDTCs, and 29 new DTCs, the ministry will take the necessary next steps.
In 2013, an IDTR was established at Chhatia in Jajpur district under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model. In recent times, one IDTR each has also been established in Keonjhar, Sundargarh, and Ganjam. Some of these centres are currently being operated by the state government using its own funds.
These centres provide free driving training to young men and women, along with other facilities, and have made significant contributions towards promoting safe driving practices. Drivers trained at the Chhatia centre have secured employment both within the country and abroad.
Given the rising number of road accidents in the state and the growing need for skilled drivers due to industrial expansion, it has been emphasized that more driving training centres are essential to meet the demand for qualified drivers in Odisha.
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