The Bengaluru Metro organ transplant system reached a groundbreaking milestone on Thursday as doctors successfully transported two vital organs—a heart and a pair of lungs—across multiple metro lines simultaneously, marking the first such complex operation in India.
Historic Dual Bengaluru Metro Organ Transplant Operation
Medical teams from Sparsh Hospital executed this unprecedented Bengaluru Metro organ transplant mission starting from Goraguntepalya Metro Station. The heart departed at 9:34 AM and arrived at Banashankari Metro Station at 10:15 AM, covering 17 stations in just 41 minutes along the Green Line. The lungs followed a more complex route, boarding at 10:05 AM and traveling across 31 stations with an interchange at RV Road Station, reaching Bommasandra Metro Station at 11:13 AM after 1 hour and 8 minutes.
The heart was delivered to Aster RV Hospital near Rashtriya Vidyalaya metro station, while the lungs reached Narayana Institute of Cardiac Sciences, located 1.5 km from Bommasandra station. The lungs were transplanted into a 64-year-old patient who had been on the waiting list for over six months.
Why Bengaluru Metro Organ Transplant Beats Traditional Methods
This innovative Bengaluru Metro organ transplant approach addresses critical time constraints that can mean life or death. Hearts and lungs remain viable for only 4-6 hours after removal from donors, making every minute crucial. Traditional green corridors created by traffic police on Bengaluru’s congested roads often face unpredictable delays and disrupt city traffic.
Dr. Varun Shetty, consultant cardiac surgeon at Narayana Health City, highlighted the metro’s advantages: “Previously, we opted for an ambulance service for organ transportation, and the traffic police created a green corridor for us, which resulted in traffic disruptions in the city. The Metro has become a better alternative now, as patients sometimes have emergencies, and we need to conduct timely transportation”.
Metro officials provided the medical team with an entire side of a coach to ensure safe organ transport, demonstrating BMRCL’s commitment to this life-saving initiative.
Bengaluru’s Growing Organ Transport Leadership
This latest Bengaluru Metro organ transplant operation builds on the city’s rapidly expanding capabilities in medical transportation. Bengaluru became India’s second city to use metro for organ transport when a liver was moved from Whitefield to Rajarajeshwarinagar along the Purple Line in August 2024. In September, another successful Bengaluru Metro organ transplant involved a heart transported along the Green Line from Yeshwantpur to South End Circle station.
The city’s approach demonstrates superior operational sophistication compared to Hyderabad, which pioneered metro-based organ transport in India in 2021 using a passenger-free train. Bengaluru conducts these Bengaluru Metro organ transplant operations with regular passengers on board, showcasing seamless integration with daily metro operations.
Coordinated Excellence in Bengaluru Metro Organ Transplant
The flawless execution required meticulous coordination between multiple agencies. BMRCL’s Security Department officers collaborated with station officials and medical teams to ensure all protocols were followed. The operation adhered strictly to guidelines from the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs and BMRCL’s Joint Procedure Order.
BMRCL reaffirmed its commitment, stating it remains dedicated to “providing efficient, reliable, and socially responsible transport solutions through collaboration with medical institutions in such life-saving initiatives”. This Bengaluru Metro organ transplant model sets a powerful precedent for urban planning and emergency medical response across Indian cities, demonstrating how public infrastructure can evolve to serve critical healthcare needs
