A woman from Durgapur’s Trilokchandrapur reportedly gave birth inside a hired car while being taken to a health facility after her family was unable to secure a government ambulance from Panagarh health centre on Friday, 18 September. The family has alleged that they were told the ambulance had been washed for Vishwakarma Puja and that they would have to pay ₹1,000 for it to be sent.
According to the report by Sangbad Pratidin, the woman, identified as Puja Bagdi, began experiencing labour pain in the early hours of Friday. Her family contacted the government ambulance service connected to Panagarh health centre, but said they were informed that the vehicle was unavailable because it had been cleaned for the festival.
The family further alleged that the health centre said the ambulance could be sent if they paid ₹1,000. With Puja’s labour pain intensifying, her husband Akash Bagdi and relatives decided not to wait for the government vehicle. With help from neighbours, they hired a private car and began travelling to the health facility.
Puja delivered the baby inside the car before reaching the health centre. Family members then took the mother and newborn to Panagarh health centre for care. The incident triggered anger among relatives and others at the premises, with the family questioning why a service intended to be free for pregnant women and new mothers was not available during an emergency.
Champa Bagdi, a family member, asked why the government ambulance service could not be provided without charge and who would have been responsible if the woman or child had suffered harm during the delay. Her comments, as reported, reflect the immediate concern over both emergency transport and the safety risks faced by patients travelling without medical support.
The account supplied in the report is based on the family’s allegations. It does not include a detailed response from the health centre or identify the ambulance operator. The block administration has assured that the matter will be examined and that action will be taken based on the findings. The next step is an administrative review of the ambulance’s reported unavailability, the alleged payment demand and the circumstances in which the family was unable to access the service.
