Chhatarpur (Madhya Pradesh): A bizarre video has surfaced on social media, showing an e-rickshaw carrying 20 passengers. The video, said to be from Madhya Pradesh's Chhatarpur, has highlighted lenient traffic regulations and irresponsible driving behaviour.
Notably, the driver added an extra seat at the back of the e-rickshaw to increase the capacity of the 6-seater vehicle and convert it to accommodate 20 passengers.
The clip shows all-- men, women and children – stuffed in the small e-rickshaw heading towards Panna Road. It further shows women sitting at the back seats, while men are crammed on the driver's seat-- such that one of them hangs near the handle, with their one leg dragging on the road.
Where's the passenger safety?
Locals claimed that no action was taken by the traffic cops. In fact, they said that it was not a new sight in town, as these e-rickshaw drivers usually overload the vehicle with more passengers than the capacity.
The video has also raised concerns about the safety of the passengers. There have been several cases where e-rickshaws were involved in horrible road accidents across the state. A few weeks ago, an overloaded e-rickshaw lost control and overturned in the state capital, leaving passengers injured. A 60-year-old woman sustained a rib fracture.
Taking cognisance of the matter, the Bhopal district administration even banned the e-rickshaws on the main roads and restricted them to only residential areas.
