Bhubaneswar: Minister of State for Transport and Commerce Subrat Tarai on Friday informed the State Assembly that as many as 9,811 persons were killed and 29,313 injured in 24,506 road accidents during the last two and a half years in the State.

Keonjhar district topped the list of road accidents and deaths during the last two years while Angul reported highest number of accidents and related casualty during the first six months of the current year, he said.

Replying to a question by Congress member Anup Sai, Tarai said during 2010, as many as 9,813 road accidents occurred which took lives of 3,837 persons and left 11,449 injured. While 3,802 persons

died and 11,248 were injured in 9,398 accidents during 2011, as  many as 2,172 persons lost their lives and 6,616 were injured in 5,595 road accidents during the current year up to July.

The Minister said in Keonjhar district alone, 331 persons died in 564 road accidents during 2010 and 538 road mishaps claimed 257 lives in 2011.

Till the end of July in current year, as many as 134 have died in 370 road accidents in Angul district.

Claiming that the number of accidents and related deaths had reduced due to various road safety initiatives, Tarai said the deployment of interceptor vehicles, introduction of retro-reflective tape, imparting training to drivers and setting of solar traffic blinkers in accident-prone areas were done to prevent accidents.