A 25-year-old woman gave birth to a baby girl in a moving taxi on the Ambala-Chandigarh highway on Monday evening after heavy traffic brought vehicles to a near standstill near the Ghaggar bridge.
Manisha, wife of construction worker Vinod Ravidas, was being taken from Ramgarh Bhudda to Derabassi Civil Hospital when her labour pains suddenly intensified. Her due date was December 14, but the family chose to book an Uber instead of an ambulance, hoping to reach the hospital quickly.
However, a major traffic slowdown on the highway left the taxi inching forward. As Manisha began screaming in pain, the driver realised they would not reach the hospital in time and pulled over on the Ghaggar bridge. A female relative travelling with the family assisted during the delivery while the driver and Vinod stepped aside to make space.
Within 15 minutes, Manisha delivered a baby girl inside the taxi. The driver then rushed the mother and newborn to Derabassi Civil Hospital, where the medical team immediately provided care. Doctors confirmed that both are healthy and have been kept under observation.
The taxi driver’s presence of mind and the family’s quick response have been widely appreciated. But the incident has also sparked debate online, with many social media users praising the family’s courage while others questioned why severe jams continue to choke the Ambala-Chandigarh stretch. Several people urged authorities to improve traffic management so that emergency cases do not face such life-threatening delays.
