Donor Lung Transported via Chennai Metro for Life-Saving Transplant

In a remarkable first for Tamil Nadu’s medical and transport systems, a donated human lung was swiftly transported on the Chennai Metro Rail from Meenambakkam to AG-DMS station on Sunday, ensuring its timely delivery for transplantation at Apollo Hospitals, Greams Road.
According to Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL), this coordinated operation was made possible under the Metro Railways (Carriage and Ticket) Amendment Rules, 2023, framed by the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, which permit the transport of human organs through metro networks in emergencies.
The lung, airlifted from NIMHANS, Bengaluru, reached Chennai Airport by air ambulance at around 2:07 p.m. The medical team then boarded the Chennai Metro at Meenambakkam station with assistance from metro officials. The team crossed seven stations in just over 20 minutes, reaching AG-DMS station at 2:28 p.m. Metro staff and security personnel provided full support to ensure an uninterrupted passage. On arrival, the organ was swiftly transferred into a waiting ambulance and taken to Apollo Hospitals, Greams Road, where the transplant team was on standby to begin the procedure.
CMRL officials stated that the successful coordination between airport authorities, metro staff, and the hospital’s transplant unit demonstrates the potential of Chennai Metro as a reliable green corridor for critical medical emergencies. This is the first instance in India where a donor lung has been transported via metro rail, significantly reducing transit time and paving the way for faster, more efficient organ transport in the future — a move that could save countless lives.