Dikhyaa Mohanty 
The State Transport Authority (STA) of Odisha has alerted the public about fraudulent activities occurring in the Sundargarh district. Under the pretense of running road safety initiatives, certain people are unlawfully obtaining money from drivers of motor vehicles. It has been reported that these people have been fooling the public with false banners. In a public alert on Monday, the STA made it clear that no formal authorization has been given for such operations and asked owners and drivers of vehicles to avoid falling for this fraud.
“This conduct is entirely prohibited. The STA issued a public alert saying, “Drivers are advised not to trust or pay any money to these individuals.”Amitabh Thakur, the transport commissioner, has directed Sundargarh’s Regional Transport Office (RTO) to handle the situation seriously and lodge a police report against the parties concerned right once. In order to guarantee prompt action, Commissioner Thakur has also reviewed the matter with Sundargarh’s Superintendent of Police (SP) and District Collector.
Further instructions have been sent to all RTOs across the state, urging them to remain vigilant and act promptly if similar incidents are reported in their respective regions. These fraudulent activities, which primarily target trucks and buses from other states, are more prevalent in border districts and mining areas. Many of those responsible are reportedly from outside Odisha. Thakur expressed his concern about the growing issue, stating, “These individuals are deceiving the public in the name of road safety, but legal actions are being initiated to stop such scams. We urge the public to report any suspicious activities to the local transport authorities immediately.” Local administrations have been urged to take immediate measures to halt these illegal operations and ensure those responsible are held accountable.
