The journey, however, turned into a nightmare as they encountered massive traffic jams on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad highway, which was made worse by ongoing white topping work. Singh also highlighted the lack of assistance from traffic officials despite their desperate pleas for help. “There was no way on the highway even for the ambulance. The road users wanted to let us pass, but they were also helpless,” he recalled.

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The ongoing construction work on the highway and long traffic jams on it. Pics/Hanif Patel

Desperate to reach the hospital, Singh and his companions attempted to navigate off the highway, only to face further obstacles. “The white topping work is ongoing on the highway. Our ambulance driver tried to drive on this concrete lane, but it was incomplete. We had to use boulders to veer off from this unfinished path,” Singh explained.

With the help of local residents and passing bikers, they managed to clear a path for the ambulance after a gruelling four-hour ordeal. “On February 27, we left Vasai Phata at 5.30 am, and we reached Wadia hospital at 9.30 am. This when every second was critical for my baby,” added Singh, who is hopeful that his child will fight back at this facility to survive.

Singh emphasised the need for authorities to assist ambulances in such critical situations, urging them to prioritise emergency vehicles, especially amidst ongoing construction activities.

When asked why he did not look for an option in civic-run facilities in Vasai, Singh said, “I would never want my premature baby to be cared for at municipal-run hospitals where the conditions are extremely alarming. Any panic-stricken parents will prefer to go to the best possible option. In Vasai-Virar the health infrastructure is in dilapidated condition.”

Responding to the incident, Medical Health Officer Bhakti Chaudhary of VVCMC said, “We have four hospital facilities for newborns in the area. We are also increasing the number of wards for newborns in the area. We have studied this case, but in this particular case, the father wanted to admit the child to Wadia hospital, and the ambulance got stuck in traffic.”

Vasai Traffic Division’s Sagar Ingole assured efforts to alleviate traffic issues, including creating separate lanes for emergency vehicles. “We decided to create a separate lane on the wrong side from both sides to make way for emergency vehicles and also for light vehicles. We are doing our best to ease traffic,” he said.

NHAI manager Sumeet Kumar said, “We too are looking for a solution to the traffic issue but are unable to find anything. We just have to complete the work as soon as possible”

As per sources MP Rajendra Gavit has called for a meeting to address the crisis, emphasising the need for coordination between authorities to find a solution to this menace.