- By Chetna Shree
- Sat, 01 Aug 2026 05:09 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
- Live donor heart transported Surat to Ahmedabad by train.
- Vande Bharat Express used for first time in India.
- Coordinated green corridor ensured timely life-saving transplant.
Ahmedabad: A critically ill cardiac patient was given a new lease on life on Friday after medical teams, the Railway Protection Force (RPF), and the Gujarat Police successfully transported a live donor heart 250 km from Surat to Ahmedabad. The organ was transported in approximately two hours and 30 minutes via a high-speed green corridor set up aboard the Vande Bharat Express and across the city streets. This marks the first time in India that a live human heart was transported by train.
As per its schedule, the Vande Bharat Express departs Surat at 8:58 AM and arrives in Ahmedabad at 11:30 AM.
Railway, Gujarat Police Create 'Green Corridor' To Transport Live Donor Heart
According to an official release from the Ministry of Railways, close coordination among the Railway Protection Force (RPF), Gujarat Police, and medical teams ensured the donor heart travelled directly from Surat to the UN Mehta Institute of Cardiology and Research Centre in Ahmedabad.
A heartbeat of hope, delivered on time!
— Ministry of Railways (@RailMinIndia) July 31, 2026
For the first time, a 'live human heart' was transported by Vande Bharat Express from Surat to Ahmedabad for a life-saving transplant.
A remarkable example of seamless coordination between Indian Railways and State Administration- where… pic.twitter.com/eFx7IRuquD
Upon arrival, the RPF and local police established a 'green corridor' to transport the organ from Platform No. 1 of the railway station straight to the facility's operation theatre. The ministry described the effort as a "highly sensitive and time-bound life-saving operation" that was completed through effective planning and coordination.
"A special green corridor was prepared by the RPF and Gujarat Police to transport the heart from Platform No. 1 of Ahmedabad railway station to the 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," the official release read.
' A Heartbeat Of Hope, Delivered On Time'
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Indian Railways stated that the "heartbeat of hope" was "delivered on time".
"For the first time, a 'live human heart' was transported by Vande Bharat Express from Surat to Ahmedabad for a life-saving transplant," the post added.
Ahmedabad Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) Ved Prakash described the operation as a major milestone for the Indian Railways.
"The successful transportation of a live donor heart from Surat to Ahmedabad through the Vande Bharat Express demonstrates our commitment to serving society beyond conventional passenger and freight transportation. In such life-saving missions, every minute is crucial," Prakash said in the release.
'A New Lease Of Life': Gujarat CM
Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel said that the heart was successfully transplanted into a patient at UN Mehta Institute, giving him a new lease of life.
"A unique example of service! Every second counts in organ transplantation! It was only because the live donor 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 wrote on X.