Agra family ferries woman in labour across river on cot due to lack of bridge

A woman in labour was taken across the Utangan River on a cot placed over a tube after an ambulance could not reach her village in Agra.Agra villagers ferry woman in labour across river on cot due to lack of bridgeA woman in labour was ferried across the Utangan River in Uttar Pradesh’s 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 near till a particular spot on the Agra-Bah road as there is no bridge or culvert over the Utangan River to reach her village.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 river.After crossing the river, she was taken to a hospital in an ambulance, where she gave birth to a baby boy. After being discharged from the hospital on Thursday morning, the woman and her newborn were brought back to the village by the same route. The family once again placed the cot over a tube and used it to cross the river.Villagers said they have been demanding the construction of a bridge or culvert over the Utangan River for a long time. The problem becomes much more severe during the monsoon as the river's water level rises. The villagers said they had also staged a protest for around 10 days to demand construction of the bridge. They claimed they were assured that construction of the culvert would begin within two months, but nearly three months have passed and work has still not started.The alleged failure to fulfil the assurance has left villagers angry. They said the issue was not merely about transportation but also concerned the safety of patients, pregnant women, children and elderly people, particularly during the monsoon.They also said that whenever an emergency arises and an ambulance cannot reach the village, residents are forced to ferry patients across the river in similar circumstances.- Ends(With inputs from Nitin Updhayay)Published On: Aug 14, 2026 12:11 IST