New Delhi:Â Â The Gurgaon police and the Delhi Police came together to assist a 16-year-old whose heart was failing by helping in the transportation of a live heart across a 30 km route usually jammed with vehicles.
The police of the two states created a “green corridor” for a convoy to carry the heart from a 30-year-old donor at Gurgaon’s Fortis hospital to Escorts Hospital in Delhi.Â
It took 29 minutes for the donor’s heart to reach Escorts as other traffic came to a halt along the route. On an average day, it takes about an hour and a half to travel the same distance. Â
Around 23 police personnel were deployed to ensure the organs reached quickly. The police said all traffic signals were turned manual and a pilot police bike accompanied the ambulance that carried the heart.
The police said Fortis Hospital Gurgaon made an email request to the Commissioner of Police at about noon on Friday for the green corridor. An IT professional was declared brain dead on Saturday morning and the family wanted to donate his organs.Â
Minutes after the heart was harvested, it was in the ambulance speeding to Escorts. Â
Elated over the achievement, Delhi Police official Muktesh Chander said, “It was a good coordinated effort by the Delhi and Gurgaon Police. We were informed beforehand so we gave green signals to the ambulance throughout the route and covered over 32 kilometres within 30 minutes.”
The Gurgaon Police said they have never held a mock drill for such a situation, but had helped transport an organ through such a corridor once before.
A green corridor is created by ensuring traffic lights are green and roads clear to allow an ambulance to travel unhindered.Â
Even though a human heart can be preserved for upto four hours, the chances of success are higher if it is transplanted quickly.