A routine commute in Rajasthan took a dangerous turn after a video from the Anandpuri area of Banswara district went viral on social media. The clip shows
an extremely overcrowded jeep, meant to carry just 16 passengers, packed with nearly 60 people. With every seat inside already occupied, several passengers are seen clinging to the vehicle from the outside, sitting on the bonnet, roof, stepney, and even hanging from the driver’s door as the jeep moves along the road. What has alarmed viewers most is that the passengers include elderly individuals, women, and young children, all exposed to serious danger. Despite the load, the vehicle appears to be speeding, with the driver showing little regard for safety. The jeep is so tightly packed that the driver’s visibility seems limited to the front windscreen alone, creating a situation that many online have described as resembling goods being stuffed into a transport truck rather than people being ferried.
Local reports suggest that the area is largely tribal and faces an acute shortage of public transport facilities, including state-run buses. Due to the lack of reliable options, residents are often left with no choice but to rely on private vehicles, even if it means risking their lives in severely overloaded transport.
Following the video’s circulation, district authorities stepped in. As per a report by Free Press Journal, teams from the Transport Department and Traffic Police carried out inspections and raids in the area, issuing challans to multiple vehicles found violating capacity and safety norms. District Transport Officer Pankaj Sharma acknowledged that inadequate transport infrastructure contributes to the problem but stressed that enforcement would continue and strict action would be taken against those flouting traffic regulations.
