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Summary:

On November 8, 2025, the Chennai Metro Rail (CMRL) created its first “green corridor” to transport a pair of lungs from the airport metro station to Apollo Hospitals for transplantation. The lungs, harvested from a deceased donor in Bengaluru, traveled 10.82 km across seven stations in 21 minutes. This follows similar instances in Hyderabad and Bengaluru where metro systems have facilitated organ transportation. A government amendment in 2023 allowed authorized personnel to transport human organs via metro.

News Article:

Chennai Metro Creates “Green Corridor” for Life-Saving Lung Transplant

CHENNAI, November 8, 2025 – In a groundbreaking move, the Chennai Metro Rail (CMRL) today established its first-ever “green corridor” to expedite the transportation of life-saving organs. A pair of lungs, harvested from a deceased donor in Bengaluru, were transported via metro from the Meenambakkam Airport station to Apollo Hospitals on Greams Road in just 21 minutes.

The 10.82 km journey, spanning seven stations, marked a significant step in utilizing public transportation for critical medical emergencies. According to CMRL officials, meticulous coordination ensured a smooth and efficient transfer.

“We made sure the process was seamless,” stated a CMRL staff member. “The team traveled with the organs along with other passengers. Fortunately, being a weekend, the train wasn’t overly crowded. We coordinated closely at both the origin and destination stations.”

The lungs arrived at Chennai Airport via air ambulance from Bengaluru at 1:52 PM. A six-member medical team transported the organs to the Meenambakkam Metro station, boarding a train at 2:07 PM and arriving at the AG-DMS Metro station at 2:28 PM. From there, an ambulance rushed the organs to Apollo Hospitals. Concurrently, a separate road-based green corridor facilitated the transport of a heart to MGM Healthcare.

This event follows similar initiatives in Hyderabad and Bengaluru, where metro systems have previously assisted in organ transportation. In 2023, a government amendment to the Metro Railways (Carriage and Ticket) Rules officially permitted authorized hospital personnel to carry human organs on metro trains for transplantation purposes, paving the way for this vital use of public transit.

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