The Lifeline Express: 25 years of changing lives

Lifeline Express (LLE), the world’s first hospital on a train, inaugurated on July 16, 1991, completed 25 years  having treated persons with disability in rural areas.

The Impact India Foundation (IIF), Mumbai-based NGO which operates the train, is now looking to extend its medical service to major surgeries.

About:

LLE conducts medical projects by camping in different parts of the country.

• Each camp of 21-35 days involves treatment of patients, training and awareness programmes among the rural population and local doctors.
• While the Foundation operates the train, the Railways look after the maintenance of the coaches and provision of water and electricity.

Background:

• The idea of LLE started with a simple wish of “taking the hospital to the people” in rural India, where healthcare facilities are poor.
• The Foundation proposed the idea to the Ministry of Railways after which the Railways and the NGOs signed an MoU in 1991.

The Railways provided three coaches. The train was flagged off on July 16, 1991, from the formerly called VT station. Two more coaches were added in 2007.