Palghar Tragedy: Ambulance Stuck in Gridlock, Patient Dies Before Reaching Hospital

National News: The tragic death of 49-year-old Chhaya Purav from Maharashtra’s Palghar district has highlighted two serious problems—poor healthcare infrastructure in the area and severe traffic congestion on National Highway 48. Her life could not be saved because the ambulance carrying her was stuck in a massive traffic jam for several hours.

Tree Branch Accident Leaves Woman Critically Injured

A large tree branch fell on Chhaya Purav near her home in Madhukar Nagar, Palghar, leaving her injured. The impact left her with severe injuries to her ribs, shoulders, and head. She was immediately taken to a local hospital, but doctors there said her condition was critical and required advanced care.

Since Palghar does not have a trauma care center, the hospital referred her to Hinduja Hospital in Mumbai.

A 100-Kilometre Journey Turns Into a Nightmare

At around 3 p.m., Chhaya was put into an ambulance after receiving anesthesia. Her husband accompanied her, hoping she would reach the Mumbai hospital quickly. Under normal conditions, the 100-kilometer journey from Palghar to Mumbai takes about two and a half hours.

Soon after the journey began, the ambulance got caught in a heavy traffic jam on NH-48. Vehicles were moving at a snail’s pace, and wrong-side driving made the congestion even worse. The road was also filled with potholes, which caused her more pain during the journey.

Anaesthesia Wears Off, Pain Becomes Unbearable

By 6 p.m., after more than three hours, the ambulance had covered only half the distance. The anesthesia began to wear off, and Chhaya’s pain became unbearable. Her husband recalled how she cried and begged for help, asking them to reach the hospital quickly.

Seeing her condition deteriorate, the driver changed the route and headed to Orbit Hospital in Mira Road, which was still a considerable distance from the intended destination, Hinduja Hospital.

Doctors Declare Her Dead on Arrival

The ambulance reached Orbit Hospital around 7 p.m. Doctors immediately examined Chhaya but declared her dead. Her husband was told that if they had arrived even 30 minutes earlier, she might have survived.

“I saw her suffer for four hours,” her husband told the media. “Every pothole caused her more pain. The traffic was terrible, and wrong-side driving made it worse. We could not move fast enough to save her.”

Questions Raised on Healthcare and Traffic Management

The incident has once again raised questions about the lack of proper medical facilities in Palghar. If there had been a trauma center in the district, she might have received immediate treatment and survived.

It also exposes the poor traffic management and road conditions on NH-48. With vehicles coming from the wrong side and potholes slowing down movement, emergency services struggle to reach their destinations on time.

Authorities are now being urged to improve both healthcare access and road traffic management to prevent such tragedies in the future.