PTI
Ahmedabad
In a historic medical first for Indian Railways, a live donor heart was rushed 250 km from Surat to Ahmedabad on Friday via a high-speed “green corridor” created aboard the Vande Bharat Express and across city streets to save the life of a critically ill cardiac patient.
The time-sensitive operation involved the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and Gujarat Police collaborating with medical teams to establish seamless transit from Surat all the way to the operation theatre at the UN Mehta Institute of Cardiology and Research Centre in Ahmedabad.
Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel said the heart was later transplanted into a patient at the institute, giving a new lease
of life to him. Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) at Ahmedabad, Ved Prakash, called it a moment of pride and satisfaction for Indian Railways. A special green corridor was prepared by the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and the Gujarat police to transport the live heart from Ahmedabad station to the UN Mehta Institute of Cardiology and Research Centre, India’s premier super-speciality cardiac teaching hospital, in a speedy and unhindered manner.
“Indian Railways Makes History! For the first time, the 20901 Mumbai Central-Gandhinagar Capital Vande Bharat Express successfully transported a live heart from Surat to Ahmedabad,” the DRM said on his official X handle.
As per its schedule, the premium train departs from Surat at 8:58 am and reaches Ahmedabad at 11:30 am.
As per an official release, the “highly sensitive and time-bound life-saving operation” was made possible through strong coordination and speedy operation between the Railways, Gujarat police, RPF and the medical teams.
“A special green corridor was prepared by the RPF and Gujarat police to transport the heart from Platform No. 1 of Ahmedabad station to UN Mehta Institute in a fast and unhindered manner. As a result, the heart was successfully delivered to the hospital within the stipulated time frame, so that the transplant process could be started on time,” it said.
The fast speed, punctuality and reliability of Vande Bharat Express, India’s indigenous semi-high-speed train, have contributed significantly to the success of this entire mission, stated the release. This achievement shows that Indian Railways is not only limited to the transport of passengers and goods, but is also successfully playing its role as an important ally in emergency and life-saving health services in times
of need, it added.
Chief Minister Patel called it a unique example of service and congratulated all those who were involved in the effort.
“A unique example of service! Every second counts in organ transplantation! It was only because the live heart was transported from Surat to Ahmedabad in a matter of hours at the high speed of the Vande Bharat Express that this life-saving effort became possible,” Patel tweeted.
“Through this unprecedented coordination of Indian Railways, RPF, Gujarat Police, and our medical teams, a successful heart transplant was completed at the UN Mehta Institute of Cardiology and Research Centre in Ahmedabad, giving new life to an individual,” he said.
