Indian Institute of Technology Madras’ (IIT Madras) Centre of Excellence for Road Safety (CoERS)is partnering with the Government of Chhattisgarh to launch Data-Driven Hyperlocal Interventions (DDHI) programme across the State.

The initiative marks a significant step towards strengthening district-level road safety through data-driven planning, capacity building, and targeted engineering interventions.

A MoU towards this collaboration was signed today (23^rd July 2026) at Raipur by Prof. Venkatesh Balasubramanian, Head, CoERS, IIT Madras and Shri S. Prakash, Secretary & Commissioner, Transport Department, Government of Chhattisgarh.

DDHI Chhattisgarh will place special emphasis on addressing road safety challenges in the State’s tribal and mining-dominated regions, where unique geographical conditions, traffic patterns, and mobility needs require context-specific interventions.

The CoERS is already working with 17 State Governments under the DDHI programme, which is now expanding to Chhattisgarh.

As part of the first phase of the programme, nine priority districts have been identified for implementation, namely Raipur, Raigarh, Surajpur, Balod, Baloda Bazar, Jashpur, Surguja, Mahasamund and Jangir. These districts will receive technical support from CoERS, IIT Madras, including district-level road safety assessments, engineering and administrative interventions, capacity building programmes, and training for district and state officials to strengthen local road safety management.

Welcoming the collaboration, Shri Kedar Kashyap, Hon’ble Minister of Transport, Government of Chhattisgarh, said, “Every road accident brings an irreparable loss to a family. Therefore, our endeavor is not just to reduce the number of accidents, but to develop a safe road system where every citizen can return home safely.” 

He added, “The collaboration is a symbol of our firm commitment to reduce road fatalities, aligned to the vision of Chattisgarh’s Honourable Chief Minister.  Road safety is a shared responsibility of the government, administration, engineers, local bodies, and every citizen. We are confident that this partnership will play a crucial role in reducing road accidents and ensuring the safety of citizens’ lives.”  

Speaking about the State’s partnership with CoERS, Shri S. Prakash, Secretary, Transport Department, Government of Chhattisgarh, said, “We are happy to have CoERS, IIT Madras for partnering with the Government of Chhattisgarh to strengthen road safety in the State. The Sanjaya platform developed by CoERS will enable our officials to identify black spots, emerging crash locations, allowing timely and evidence-based interventions.” 

He added,“This partnership goes beyond a one-day engagement. We have identified nine priority districts for long-term implementation and continuous monitoring, with the shared objective of reducing road accidents and saving lives.” 

Sharing his thoughts on this initiative, Prof. V. Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras, said, “The DDHI programme demonstrates how IIT Madras and governments can work together to solve complex societal challenges. We are pleased to partner with the Government of Chhattisgarh to develop data-driven, locally relevant road safety interventions that strengthen institutional capacity and help create safer roads for all.”

Speaking on the occasion, Prof. Venkatesh Balasubramanian, Head, Centre of Excellence for Road Safety (CoERS), IIT Madras said, “Road safety challenges in tribal and mining belts differ significantly from the rest of India in terms of terrain, vehicle mix, enforcement capacity, community engagement, and behavioural patterns. DDHI’s interventions are designed specifically around these hyperlocal realities rather than a one-size-fits-all model.”

The Data-Driven Hyperlocal Interventions (DDHI) programme is a national road safety initiative launched by CoERS, IIT Madras, in partnership with the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), Government of India. Under the programme, CoERS works closely with district administrations to identify local road safety challenges using recorded and perceived data and design targeted, data driven low-cost interventions tailored to local conditions.

This collaboration aligns with Chhattisgarh’s vision for safer roads under the guidance of Shri Kedar Nath Kashyap, Hon’ble Minister of Transport, Government of Chhattisgarh, and will be implemented under the leadership of Shri S. Prakash, Secretary & Commissioner, Transport Department, Government of Chhattisgarh.

The interventions under the DDHI programme are low-cost, allowing district-level officials to implement them quickly, as approvals for such expenditures can be taken locally without waiting for higher administrative clearances.

Through this collaboration, CoERS, IIT Madras and the Government of Chhattisgarh aim to build stronger institutional capacity for road safety, faster implementation of evidence-based interventions, and contribute to reducing road crash fatalities in the state, in line with the Government of India’s vision of reducing road accident deaths by 50 per cent by 2030.