Odisha to Launch ‘Ama Rasta’ WhatsApp Chatbot for Road Accident Response

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Odisha Transport Department will launch the Ama Rasta WhatsApp chatbot to report road accidents and share live locations.
The system will alert nearby police, government ambulance services, RTO officials and trained first responders.
Around 20,000 volunteers, including NCC cadets and highway-based workers, have been trained to provide basic emergency assistance.

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Transport Department is preparing to launch ‘Ama Rasta’, a WhatsApp-based digital platform designed to help commuters report road accidents and share their live locations with emergency response agencies.

The chatbot is expected to go live within the next few days after the completion of trial runs and stakeholder training. Officials said the system is being developed to reduce delays in emergency response following serious road crashes.

How Ama Rasta WhatsApp Chatbot Will Work

The Ama Rasta WhatsApp chatbot will allow commuters to report a road accident through WhatsApp and share the accident location in real time.

Once an accident is reported, the system will automatically alert multiple agencies so that emergency assistance can be coordinated quickly.

The platform is accessible through the WhatsApp number 7289911033.

Emergency Agencies to Receive Alerts

According to the Transport Department, an accident report through the chatbot will trigger alerts to:

The nearest police station
Government ambulance services
Regional Transport Office (RTO)
Trained first responders stationed along highways and vulnerable road stretches

The system is designed to ensure that accident information reaches the concerned agencies simultaneously instead of relying on separate calls or delayed communication.

‘Golden Hour’ Response Could Help Save Lives

Officials said the initiative aims to address delays during the critical period immediately following a road accident.

Dipti Ranjan Patra, Additional Transport Commissioner, said the platform is currently in the testing stage and will be launched shortly after the necessary training programmes have been completed.

The objective is to ensure faster communication and intervention when accident victims require urgent assistance.

Every Minute Matters After Serious Road Crash

The department said timely intervention can be critical after serious accidents.

By sharing the accident’s live location through WhatsApp, commuters will be able to provide emergency agencies with location information that can help responders reach the site more quickly.

20,000 Trained Volunteers to Support Ama Rasta

The Transport Department has already created a large network of trained volunteers to support the emergency response system.

Around 12,000 NCC cadets, designated as Junior Rakshaks, have received training in basic first aid and emergency response.

Another 8,000 Rakshaks, mostly people operating eateries and garages along highways, have also been trained to assist accident victims before professional medical teams arrive.

Junior Rakshaks and Rakshaks

The trained volunteers are expected to provide basic assistance to injured people at accident sites while waiting for professional medical help.

Their presence along highways and other vulnerable stretches is intended to create an additional layer of immediate response under the Ama Rasta initiative.