Pregnant Woman Carried on Cot Across River

In Agra, a 25-year-old pregnant woman in labor had to be transported across the swollen Utangan river on a cot lashed to an inflatable tube. This perilous journey was necessary as an ambulance could not reach Sukhlaalpur, a village of approximately 1,000 residents, due to the absence of a bridge and adequate road connectivity. The makeshift raft was used around 2 AM on Wednesday to take Keshwati Kumari to Fatehabad hospital, where she successfully delivered a baby boy. The mother and newborn later had to undertake the same hazardous river crossing to return home on Thursday.

A video of the ordeal, recorded by a local resident, surfaced on Friday, sparking widespread outrage. Villagers highlighted that they are compelled to use inflatable tubes for river crossings during the monsoon season when water levels rise, noting that several accidents have occurred previously. Around three months ago, residents organized a protest along the riverbank demanding a bridge, a railway underpass, and a paved road. Despite assurances from authorities at the time, no construction work has commenced.

The Sub-Divisional Magistrate of Agra's Bah sub-division, Vinod Kumar, acknowledged that crossing the river is the sole direct route to the village. An alternative six-kilometer route through the Chambal ravines becomes impassable during heavy rainfall. Kumar stated that a recent memorandum from villagers seeking a small bridge was forwarded to the government, but the project's scale and funding limitations prevent local-level implementation. He also noted that the region's challenging terrain and scattered settlements contribute to poor road access for several nearby villages.