For 33-year-old Dombivli resident Bijal Dhiren Dedhia, Monday turned out to be the most unforgettable day of her life. After seven years of marriage and prayers, she finally became a mother to a healthy baby boy. But the journey to that moment was far from easy, as she had to battle heavy rain, flooded streets and transport chaos to reach the hospital.

Since morning, Bijal had been experiencing labour pains at her Navneet Nagar residence. But incessant rain had brought Dombivli to a standstill, with most autorickshaw and cab drivers refusing to ply waterlogged roads. Her anxious parents kept calling for help, but each attempt failed. Hours passed in uncertainty as Bijal’s pain increased.

“We were extremely worried. Every minute felt like an hour. No driver was ready to risk the flooded lanes. Finally, one autorickshaw driver known to our family agreed to come, and we somehow managed to get her to the hospital by afternoon,” said a relative.