A landmark organ transport operation took place in Gujarat on Friday as a donor heart was rushed from Surat to Ahmedabad aboard the Vande Bharat Express, marking the first time Indian Railways has been used as a green corridor for a heart transplant. Departing from the conventional air route, authorities chose the high-speed train after evaluating travel time and logistical feasibility. Donated by the family of a brain-dead patient at Surat Civil Hospital, the heart was transported to UN Mehta Hospital after doctors confirmed it was a suitable match for a patient awaiting a life-saving transplant.
Green Corridors created across Surat & Ahmedabad
A dedicated green corridor was established from Surat Civil Hospital to Surat Railway Station, allowing the medical team to transport the harvested heart without interruption.
Railway authorities ensured the Vande Bharat received uninterrupted green signals throughout its journey to Ahmedabad. Simultaneously, officials in Ahmedabad coordinated another green corridor from the railway station to UN Mehta Hospital, with the Railway Protection Force (RPF), Government Railway Police (GRP), city police, railway officials and healthcare teams working in tandem.
Swift transfer ensured timely transplant
Ahead of the train’s arrival, an ambulance, escort vehicles and medical personnel were stationed at Platform 1 of Ahmedabad Railway Station. Passenger movement was briefly halted to facilitate the rapid transfer of the donor heart from the train to the waiting ambulance.
Escorted by police through the designated green corridor, the ambulance reached UN Mehta Hospital without delay, enabling doctors to proceed with the transplant.
