Inaugurated on February 14, 2003 by Ashok Mohol, M.P. and Madhukar Kokate Collector of Pune, the 59th Lifeline Express (LLE) Project commenced at Lonavla in the presence of Firdose Vandrewala the Managing Director of Tata Power, other officials and guests. 

Tata Power, India's largest private power utility, is also in the forefront of community initiatives. It has been significantly contributing in areas of Education facilities, Medical facilities and drinking Water assistance to the people around it's Hydro Power Generating stations. The company has undertaken environment friendly projects like Afforestation, Pisiculture etc. successfully over a number of years.

The Project was a great success - nearly 4000 people were medically served including almost 2000 surgeries. 385 hearing aids were also distributed for the hearing impaired as well as 152 callipers for polio patients.

What was perhaps most remarkable was the professionalism and enthusiasm with which the project was organised. Originally a neglected siding alongside the main Lonavla railway station was completely cleaned of all debris and layered with clay. Giant tents were organised; multiple Out-Patient Departments (OPDs), resting areas and visitors rooms were laid out. Keeping an eye on aesthetics, flowering plants were placed all along the main entrance into the Project site, all the way to the entrance of the LLE. Looking at the sprightly clean and green layout of the Project, no one could believe that barely a few weeks back the same place was a wasted, littered stretch of rubble!

Visitors from abroad included Regine Sampat Kumar from Austria, Dr. Maike Budde, an Opthalmologist and Special Donor of Medical services to the LLE from Erlangen, Germany, Hermann Neubauer and Harald Mausolf from Lions Club of Delmenhorst, Germany, and Ms. Carmen Gonzalez, Medical student volunteer on the LLE from Seville, Spain.

The involvement of the media was extensive and impressive throughout, with leading national and regional newspapers carrying news of the Project on a day-to-day basis. The television media were also extremely enthused about the Lifeline Express' performance at Lonavla; particularly remarkable was the coverage given by ETV Marathi, one of India's leading regional news channels. 

ETV went so far as to prepare a thirteen-minute film on the Lifeline Express, which was viewed across India on the 13th of March, 2003. The film gave a holistic understanding of the Lifeline Express, its layout, performance and projects across India, including its special relief projects at Latur and Anjar after devastating earthquakes hit these two regions.

The film included interviews with patients who had received Cataract surgeries at the Lonavla Project. Their glowing reports of the Lifeline Express and unbounded joy at being able to see again were testimony to the magnitude of service of the "Magic Train" that is the Lifeline Express.