Both the mother and child are healthy. (Representational)

A woman gave birth to a girl on a state highway in Burhanpur district of Madhya Pradesh on Friday after the ''Janani Express'' ambulance allegedly failed to arrive for taking the pregnant woman to the hospital.

Kamla Bai went into labour when her husband was taking her to the hospital on a motorcycle after the ambulance did not arrive.

"We informed the ANM (Auxiliary Nurse Midwife) about the labour pain and asked for an ambulance to take her to the hospital. However, the ambulance never arrived. She went into labour on the road and gave birth to a girl," said Chandra Bai, mother-in-law of the woman.

Kamla Bai was later taken to Shahpur Community Health Centre where the doctors attended the mother and the newborn.

"The relatives claim that she delivered the baby on the road. They came with the newborn in their hands. We attended them. Both the mother and child are healthy," said Hansali Baghail, the nurse on duty.