For victims of Sunday’s Diva-Sawantwadi passenger train derailment, it was a case of tragedy piling upon tragedy. It turns out that as crucial minutes ticked by, with the victims writhing in agony and villagers struggling to get them medical attention, the Central Railway had a state-of-the-art hospital on wheels the Lifeline Express standing at CST as an exhibit for the curious. CR could have thrown the victims a lifeline, but it didn’t.

The Lifeline Express, which was brought to Mumbai for an exhibition last month, boasts a full-fledged operation theatre and other equipment (above right) which enable it to function as a hospital on wheels. Pics/Bipin Kokate