The Auto Driver Who Inspired Dozens Others To Help Pregnant Women For Free

In Berhampur, Odisha, a 42-year-old auto-rickshaw driver called Gagan Patra offers free transportation to pregnant women and patients in emergencies to hospitals. What began as a single person’s attempt to ease his own pain eventually became an all-time voluntary service offered by many other auto rickshaw drivers.

Gagan began the initiative in 2016.

Reportedly, the inspiration to begin such a venture came after Gagan Patra’s young son had a seizure at night. In order to get to the MKCG Medical College and Hospital, Gagan tried to look for transport but there was none available to him. Finally, help came from a driver of a truck from Andhra Pradesh who did not accept anything in return for the ride.

He could not forget that night.

Shortly thereafter,

Gagan encountered a pregnant woman and her aged mother trying to walk to the hospital. It was then that Gagan offered to drive them to the hospital in his auto rickshaw free of charge.

He put up a poster on his auto-rickshaw the next day, saying pregnant ladies from poor families and emergency cases would be transported for free to the hospital.

A simple person’s efforts gradually gained momentum in the city and more and more auto-rickshaw drivers in Berhampur began volunteering similar free services.

Now, about 30 auto-rickshaw drivers have become part of the network. Their contact numbers are posted on their vehicles as well as on posters in crowded places such as railway stations, bus stops, and marketplaces, so anyone looking for emergency help can call them easily.

This effort runs round-the-clock. So far, this group has carried almost 6,000 patients since they started. They have helped pregnant women, people involved in accidents, and those needing immediate medical care reach hospitals.

The drivers didn’t stop during Covid-19 lockdowns either. At the time of movement restrictions, the volunteers are said to have approached the then district collector of Ganjam to allow the movement for emergency patients’ transport services. They were granted the permission.

Patra’s contribution to society has helped create awareness and empathy among the city’s residents. Passengers who are already seated in their auto-rickshaw willingly leave to make space for emergency patients to be taken to hospitals.

What started as an initiative of providing one free ride transformed into a huge service for many families in times of need.