A woman in labour was ferried across the Utangan River on a cot supported by a tube after an ambulance could not reach her village.
A woman in labour was ferried across the Utangan River in Agra on a cot supported by a tube after an ambulance could not reach her village due to the absence of a bridge. A video of the incident has gone viral on social media.
The woman went into severe labour pain on Wednesday night. Her family immediately called an ambulance, but the vehicle could only reach a spot on the Agra-Bah road as there is no bridge or culvert over the river to reach her village.
Villagers have been demanding a bridge for years, but authorities have not acted
The family then faced the challenge of getting the woman across the river. With no other means available at night, they placed a cot over a tube and made her lie on it before taking her across the water.
After crossing, she was taken to a hospital in an ambulance, where she gave birth to a baby boy. After being discharged on Thursday morning, the woman and her newborn were brought back to the village by the same route.
Villagers said they have been demanding a bridge or culvert over the Utangan River for a long time. The problem worsens during the monsoon when the river’s water level rises.
They said they had staged a protest for around 10 days to demand construction of the bridge. They claimed they were assured that work would begin within two months, but nearly three months have passed and construction has not started.
The villagers said the issue is not merely about transportation but also concerns the safety of patients, pregnant women, children, and elderly people, particularly during the monsoon. They said whenever an emergency arises and an ambulance cannot reach the village, residents are forced to ferry patients across the river in similar circumstances.
The incident has drawn attention to the lack of basic infrastructure in the area.
Authorities have not issued a statement on the matter.