Pregnant woman walks 4 km to ambulance in Andhra's Alluri district, YSRCP slams Naidu govt
Synopsis
A pregnant woman in labour walked four kilometres through the dark in Andhra Pradesh's Alluri Sitharama Raju district because no road reached her village. The YSRCP has turned the incident into a sharp indictment of the TDP-led coalition's infrastructure priorities — pointing out that the same government spent heavily on airport inaugurations and cultural spectacles while tribal villages lack basic road access for ambulances.
Key Takeaways
Shanthi , a pregnant woman from Tenkabuddi village , walked 4 km in the dark on Monday night to reach a waiting ambulance in Alluri Sitharama Raju district, Andhra Pradesh .
The ambulance could not reach the village due to the absence of a motorable road.
The YSRCP posted about the incident on X on 5 August , blaming the TDP-led coalition government under Chief Minister N.
The party alleged the government prioritised spending on events such as the Bhogapuram Airport inauguration over basic rural infrastructure.
The YSRCP also alleged inadequate security was provided for former CM Y.S.
Jagan Mohan Reddy's visit to Devarapalli in East Godavari district .
A pregnant woman in labour was forced to walk four kilometres through the dark to reach a waiting ambulance in Andhra Pradesh's Alluri Sitharama Raju district, the main opposition YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) said on Wednesday, 5 August, calling the incident a stark reminder of the infrastructure gaps plaguing remote tribal villages in the state.
What Happened
Shanthi, a resident of Tenkabuddi village in Alluri Sitharama Raju district, went into labour on Monday night. The ambulance dispatched to assist her could not reach the village due to the absence of a motorable road. With no alternative, Shanthi walked nearly four kilometres in darkness, aided by family members carrying torches, before reaching a point where the ambulance was stationed.
YSRCP's Charges Against the Coalition Government
The YSRCP, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), squarely blamed the Telugu Desam Party (TDP)-led coalition government under Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu for the failure to provide basic road connectivity and emergency healthcare access in tribal and remote areas. 'This reflects the failure of the TDP-led coalition government under Chandrababu Naidu to provide even basic infrastructure and emergency healthcare in remote areas,' the party posted.
The opposition also drew a pointed contrast, alleging that the government had spent heavily on publicity events — including the Bhogapuram International Airport inauguration, a record-setting Dhimsa performance, and the Yogandhra event — while neglecting the very tribal communities whose members reportedly participated in those programmes. 'The government should have first ensured proper roads, ambulance access, and healthcare facilities in the very tribal villages from which many of the participants came,' the party said.
The YSRCP demanded immediate accountability and called on the government to extend basic infrastructure to every remote village in the state, asserting that 'no mother should suffer such misery.'
Security Row Over Jagan Mohan Reddy's Visit
Separately, the YSRCP alleged that the coalition government failed to make adequate security arrangements for former Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy's visit to Devarapalli in East Godavari district, where he had gone to meet tobacco farmers struggling in the absence of a government support price. The party claimed that despite prior information being provided, police presence at the helipad was insufficient, which it attributed to deliberate negligence. The YSRCP further alleged that Chief Minister Naidu was creating obstacles during Jagan Mohan Reddy's tours, reportedly unsettled by the large crowds turning out to receive him.
Broader Context
The Tenkabuddi incident is not an isolated case — tribal and forested districts of Andhra Pradesh have historically faced last-mile connectivity challenges that leave pregnant women, the elderly, and critically ill patients without timely access to emergency services. This comes amid an ongoing political battle between the ruling coalition and the YSRCP, which has been mounting pressure on the Naidu government over governance and welfare delivery since losing power in the 2024 state elections. The ambulance accessibility gap in remote areas remains a persistent public health concern across several Indian states, and incidents like this periodically draw national attention to the structural deficit in rural healthcare infrastructure.
Point of View
But the opposition governed these same districts for five years and the problem persisted. What the incident genuinely demands is not just political accountability but a time-bound audit of villages where ambulances still cannot reach — and a funding commitment that outlasts electoral cycles. The contrast the YSRCP draws between airport inauguration spending and rural road access is rhetorically effective, but the deeper question is whether either party has a credible tribal infrastructure plan or is simply using a woman's distress as a campaign point.
NationPress
6 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened to the pregnant woman in Andhra Pradesh's Alluri Sitharama Raju district?
Shanthi, a pregnant woman from Tenkabuddi village, went into labour on Monday night but the ambulance could not reach her due to the absence of a road. She walked nearly four kilometres in the dark with the help of family members before reaching the ambulance.
Why did the ambulance not reach Tenkabuddi village?
According to the YSRCP, there is no proper road connecting Tenkabuddi village in Alluri Sitharama Raju district, making it inaccessible for ambulances. The absence of last-mile road connectivity forced the pregnant woman to travel on foot.
What did the YSRCP demand after the incident?
The YSRCP demanded immediate accountability from the TDP-led coalition government and called for basic infrastructure — including roads, ambulance access, and healthcare facilities — to be extended to every remote village in Andhra Pradesh.
What is the YSRCP's allegation regarding Jagan Mohan Reddy's visit to Devarapalli?
The YSRCP alleged that the coalition government failed to provide adequate security for former Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy's visit to Devarapalli in East Godavari district, despite prior notice. The party said insufficient police presence at the helipad reflected deliberate negligence.
How does this incident reflect the broader healthcare access challenge in tribal Andhra Pradesh?
Tribal and forested districts of Andhra Pradesh have long faced last-mile connectivity gaps that prevent ambulances from reaching remote villages. The Tenkabuddi case highlights a structural deficit in rural emergency healthcare infrastructure that critics argue successive state governments have failed to address.
