Image: Midday/IndiaRailInfo
The spirit of Mumbai city never fails to amaze you. Every time a problem strikes, the people there display a moving picture of humanity and unity. One such incident that happened in the Mumbai Local train left the onlookers spellbound. And every bit of this story is phenomenal and worth sharing.
Ever wonder what it would be like to give birth on a train, especially in a crowded Mumbai local??? Well it was a wonder when a 22-year-old pregnant woman went into labor at 10:15pm in a Mumbai local. It all began when the couple set out for Sion Hospital from Ambivali for a checkup after the pregnant woman started experiencing discomfort and abdominal pain at their residence. Their journey took an unexpected detour at Thane when the expecting mother’s pain increased, and as the Mumbai local reached Dadar, her pain became extremely unbearable.
It was unexpected, but it was delivery time for her. The soon-to-be-father was caught off guard, helpless and not knowing what to do, he did what he thought best: ‘Ask for help’. He immediately asked his fellow commuters for help, and on hearing the couple’s plea, everyone came forward and offered to help.
First, the on-duty police officers were alerted by some of the commuters, following which they pulled the chain and got the train to halt at Dadar station. The station doctor was informed and rushed to the scene. Along with the assistance of other women commuters, the doctor helped this pregnant woman deliver a healthy baby girl. Both mother and child were then moved to Sion Hospital for further treatment.
This ordeal took around 30 minutes, during which the train remained halted. What was amazing was how calm and helpful everybody was, not a single person grumbled or had anything to say. Everyone’s only concern was the pregnant woman, and since she couldn’t be admitted to a hospital on time, everyone made sure she was comfortable while delivering her baby. All hands were on deck when it came to helping the woman, and anything that didn’t relate to it was kept aside.
With everything happening so quickly, and in the excitement of meeting his newborn daughter, the husband forgot all about his mother who was waiting for them at the station. Once he settled his wife and daughter at the hospital, he rushed back to the station to find his mother sitting at the platform still waiting for them.
What started out to be a couple’s affair, turned out to become a test of the society. It was undoubtedly an experience that brought about everyone’s primal instinct – to help one another, which in this case was to help the pregnant woman deliver her baby safely.
Irrespective of race, religion, caste or color, it was wonderful to see the city of Mumbai and its people come together and help this couple bring their newborn baby girl into the world. At the end of the day, everybody went home satisfied and content, and to add to it, a story of a new beginning – The Birth of a Child.
It is incidents like this that have made Mumbai what it is today. If there is a problem, there is always a solution. If ever someone is in need, help has always found its ways through the people of Mumbai. Being the heart of our nation, one can expect nothing less from its people. With warm hearts and helpful hands, the spirit of Mumbai is felt by any and everyone who visits. Even though life is like a fast train in this city, we have seen on numerous occasion that people always make it a point to halt and pickup others in distress and help them catch up their pace.
