Hospital on Wheels - IR

The Minister of State for Railways Shri Naranbhai J. Rathwa, Chairman, Impact India Foundation, Shri A.H.Tobaccowala and the Secretary General of Rajeev Gandhi Foundation, Shri Manmohan Malhotra were present on the occasion.

The Railways Minister said that he new Lifeline Express Train would remain for four days at National Rail Museum, Chanakayapuri, New Delhi for public display.

Shri Lalu Prasad announced that IR is planning to launch another train 'Red Ribbon Express' in cooperation with National Aids Control Organization very soon to launch the campaign of awareness about the most deadly disease 'AIDS' all over India.

Smt. Sonia Gandhi, while inaugurating new state-of-the-art Lifeline Express, commended the noble project by Lifeline Express and expressed her gratitude to the Indian Railways for supporting the venture.

After so many years of successful journeys of palace on wheels Indian Railways now launched Hospital on Wheels. Today Indian Railways donated the new five coach hospital on tracks - Lifeline Express to Impact India Foundation and further contributed into the development of helth infrastructure in our country.

On this occasion, Lalu prasad yadav- the railways minister said here that Impact India Foundation with the cooperation of Indian Railways have provided medical services free of cost to nearly 4,50,000 persons in remote and rural interiors of India where medical facilities are almost non-existent. Now with this Lifeline Express on tracks they also can get medical services in very remote and rural areas of India. He further added that Lifeline Express, with its successful mission to provide medical facilities to the poor people of far-flung areas, has now been included in the school syllabus of the Central Board of Secondary Education. The Lifeline Express has a main operation theatre with three operating tables for conducting all free of cost surgeries like cataract, squints, micro surgeries of the inner ear, correction of cleft lip and orthopedic surgeries for deformed limbs. Train has one more operation theatre with two operating tables and four recovery beds and also an ophthalmic testing room, laboratory, X-Ray.

New coaches for this train are state-of-the-art and unique in many senses. They are first of its kind anywhere in the world and are especially designed for Indian Railways by Integral Coach Factory, Perambur. Cost of product for each coach is around Rs.5 crores with latest technology integrated.