The Lifeline of Punjab: The Cancer Train
Every time you board that train, you witness a hundred untold stories—each one wrapped in silent tears and quiet resilience. Thousands of trains crisscross the country every day, but the Abohar-Jodhpur 54703 passenger train carries a unique identity. As it halts at Bathinda station in Punjab, its compartments fill with cancer patients and their families. From there, the train embraces them with a gentle rhythm, cradles their hopes, and carries them toward the promise of healing. Over time, this train has earned a sorrowful yet affectionate name—the Cancer Train.
While it is common for patients to travel for medical treatment, it is rare to see nearly a hundred people from the same region boarding the same train every night for the same purpose. On weekends, their numbers swell even more. This train is an anomaly, a lifeline, and a testament to an ongoing health crisis in Punjab’s Malwa region.
The Rising Shadow of Cancer in Malwa
The Malwa belt of Punjab—including districts like Mansa, Sangrur, Bathinda, Faridkot, Moga, Muktsar, and Ferozepur—has witnessed a steep rise in cancer cases over the past decade. Most of those affected are small farmers and laborers who have no access to affordable treatment. Private hospitals in their towns demand exorbitant fees for tests and treatment, often costing lakhs of rupees—an unattainable sum for these families.
For them, the only hope lies in the Government Cancer Hospital in Bikaner, Rajasthan. And the only means to reach it is this passenger train, which departs Bathinda at precisely 9:20 PM and arrives in Bikaner at 6:00 AM. Patients can complete their medical tests, collect medicines, and return on the same train by 9:30 PM, reaching Bathinda by morning. This schedule allows them to continue their battle against cancer without losing too many days of work.
The train has only one sleeper coach, making reservations unnecessary for the majority of its passengers. To ease their burden, the government provides free tickets for cancer patients, while their companions travel at a 75% discount. By 9:00 PM every night, dozens of patients and their families gather at Bathinda station, waiting for their journey to begin.
A Hospital with a Heart
It is not just the train that brings them to Bikaner. The Acharya Tulsi Regional Cancer Treatment and Research Institute has gained the trust of thousands because of its service-oriented approach. Unlike private hospitals, it treats all patients equally, irrespective of their financial background. Medicines are sold at wholesale prices through special agreements with pharmaceutical companies, significantly reducing costs.
Even for those requiring extended stays, expenses remain minimal. The hospital’s canteen serves meals for just five rupees, while patients receive free milk. Accommodation in the local dharamshala costs a mere fifty rupees per night. For countless families struggling with cancer, Bikaner has become a sanctuary of hope.
Onboard the train, every passenger has a story to tell:
- “For a single test in a private hospital, they asked for Rs. 2.5 lakh. But in Bikaner, my entire treatment costs only Rs. 30,000,” shares Janakaraj from Abohar.
- “All private hospitals in Bathinda have AC rooms charging Rs. 2,000 per day. I can’t even estimate the treatment costs there. But in Bikaner, the fees are minimal,” says Surjeet Singh, who is treating his mother for uterine cancer.
- “I have traveled on this train more than 30 times for my treatment,” admits Madanlal from Malan village in Faridkot district, fighting esophageal cancer.
Among the passengers is Jal Kaur, a seventy-year-old woman diagnosed with uterine cancer a year ago. She travels frequently on this train, her journey made familiar by the same faces boarding night after night. In her village of 300 families, at least 70 have been diagnosed with cancer.
Indeed, nearly 60% of the train’s passengers are cancer patients. And heartbreakingly, a significant portion of those seeking treatment in Bikaner hail from Punjab.
The Unseen Culprit: Pesticides
Behind this health crisis lies an invisible enemy—pesticides. The Green Revolution of the 1960s transformed Punjab into India’s breadbasket, but at a steep cost. The rampant use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, particularly in the cotton-rich Malwa region, has left a toxic legacy. Carcinogens have seeped into the soil and water, causing an epidemic of cancer cases. A study reports that nearly 18 people die of cancer every day in Punjab.
The scale of pesticide usage is staggering. In Mahinangal village alone, chemicals worth two crore rupees are sprayed annually. Doctors warn that prolonged exposure has led to genetic mutations, making cancer an all-too-common diagnosis in the region.
A Battle Waged on Steel Tracks
Despite knowing the dangers, the people of Malwa cannot abandon their green fields. Agriculture is their lifeline, just as this train has become theirs in the fight against cancer. Every night, the Cancer Train chugs along, carrying stories of pain and resilience, of despair and hope.
It is more than a train. It is a symbol of Punjab’s unbreakable spirit, a reminder that even in the darkest of times, the journey toward hope continues.
