19 minutes to life: Live heart transported through green corridor in Capital

New Delhi: In an extraordinary demonstration of coordination between medical teams and law enforcement, a live donor heart was transported from Ghaziabad to Delhi in just 19 minutes, saving the life of a 49-year-old man battling end-stage heart disease.

The heart, retrieved from Yashoda Hospital in Ghaziabad, was swiftly moved to Fortis Escorts Hospital on Okhla Road via a 17-kilometre-long green corridor. The organ left at 11:40 AM and reached the destination by 11:59 AM, thanks to precise route planning and real-time traffic management by the Delhi and Ghaziabad traffic police.

The recipient, diagnosed with Ischemic Cardiomyopathy, a severe condition that affects the heart’s pumping capacity, had been registered with the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization (NOTTO) for a transplant since August 2024.

The donor was a 35-year-old woman declared brain dead after suffering a cerebral aneurysm. Her family’s consent to donate her organs became a lifeline for others. The heart was allocated to Fortis Escorts through NOTTO after being found a match.

Dr. Vikram Aggarwal, Facility Director at Fortis Escorts, praised the swift coordination that made the transplant possible. “We are immensely grateful to the Delhi and Ghaziabad Traffic Police for their exceptional coordination in enabling the green corridor,” he said. “Their swift support was crucial to the timely transport of the heart. Our heartfelt gratitude also goes to the donor’s family for their noble act of organ donation.”

He added, “This case is a powerful reflection of Fortis Escorts’ cardiac expertise and our continued commitment to saving lives through advanced, compassionate care.” This successful heart transplant underlines the critical importance of organ donation and the growing efficiency of inter-city medical logistics in India.