New Delhi, Feb 26 (IANS) Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Tuesday announced that the railways would run a hospital train with surgery facilities. Christened as Mother-Child Health Express, the train will run on a pilot basis. In his budget speech, the minister said the Indian Railways has always been alive to its social commitments. In collaboration with non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and other ministries, the Railways is playing an “important role” in running Lifeline Express, Red Ribbon Express, Science Express and Azadi Express.

“Continuing this tradition, the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation and the Indian Railways propose to collaborate in running Mother-Child Health Express of seven coaches on a pilot basis for providing medical facilities to mother and child,” said Lalu Prasad.

“This train will be run by the Railways at concessional fares. This train would have facilities like delivery operation room and child health centre etc,” he said.

However, the minister did not give details of the train like from where to where it will run and who will man it, or will it be a hospital on wheel or a passenger train cum hospital train.

In another significant move, Lalu Prasad announced 50 percent concession in second class passenger fares for AIDS patients to travel to nominated ART (anti-retroviral therapy) centres for treatment”.