In a landmark initiative for Bengaluru, Apollo Hospitals, Seshadripuram, in partnership with Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) and the state-run organ transplant authority Jeeva Sarthakathe (JSK), successfully transported a donated human heart via the city’s Metro rail system an innovative solution to bypass the city’s heavy traffic.
The donor heart, retrieved from a private hospital in Yeshwanthpur, had to be urgently delivered to Apollo Hospitals, Seshadripuram, for a life-saving transplant. To ensure safe and speedy transfer within the medically vital “golden window,” the organ was moved through the Metro network, traveling from Goraguntepalya station to Mantri Square station. The operation was completed in just 18 minutes, without disrupting regular passenger movement.
With precise coordination between BMRCL, city police, and the Apollo transplant team, the heart reached its destination on time and was successfully transplanted into a 33-year-old doctor from Assam, who had been suffering from advanced heart failure. After waiting nearly two years for a suitable donor, he was placed on the emergency list at Apollo, Seshadripuram. The transplant procedure was carried out smoothly by a multidisciplinary team and concluded by 4 AM on Friday (September 12).
Highlighting the effort, a senior cardiac surgeon at Apollo remarked, “Every minute counts in an organ transplant. The swift support from BMRCL and JSK made it possible to deliver the heart safely and promptly, ultimately saving a patient’s life. This achievement showcases how medical expertise, infrastructure, and technology can come together to change outcomes and serves as a model for future organ transport in congested urban areas.”
Another senior Apollo spokesperson added, “Executing such a mission requires flawless teamwork involving hundreds of people from ambulance drivers, paramedics, nurses, and OT staff to security teams, administrators, anaesthetists, and surgeons. We are deeply indebted to the donor’s family for their extraordinary generosity, and to all agencies who responded within just two hours’ notice to make this possible. Their seamless cooperation ensured an uninterrupted operation and gave new life to a patient in dire need.”
This milestone marks another step forward in Bengaluru’s evolving green corridor and rapid organ transport system, offering hope for many more lives to be saved in the future.