Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: Indian Railways on July 17 added another feather to its cap in clean mobility with Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagging off India’s first hydrogen fuel cell trainset from here, a train that generates its own electricity onboard using hydrogen, the cleanest fuel known.
The 10-coach train running between Jind and Sonipat in Haryana will cover 90 km in just two hours, a landmark in the green mobility journey.
The train is powered by a 3,200 HP propulsion system — one of the most powerful hydrogen-powered trainsets in operation — and emits only water vapour.
By leveraging India’s own technology and handling everything from design to assembly domestically, India joins the ranks of countries operating hydrogen railways.
Simultaneously, PM Modi dedicated to the nation and laid the foundation stones of the National Highway project of over Rs 12,470 crore in Haryana.
The milestone of a hydrogen-powered train marked the latest chapter in the evolution of how the Railways has powered its trains, reflecting India’s broader journey from coal and steam to cleaner, more sustainable sources of energy.
Over the past 12 years, rapid electrification has significantly reduced dependence on imported diesel, paving the way for the next leap in clean rail mobility.
From Jind, PM Modi dedicated to the nation the 157.92-km-long four-lane, fully access-controlled Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway (Packages 1 to 5), developed at a cost of around Rs 9,680 crore.
The Greenfield corridor forms part of the 667 km Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway that will reduce travel time between Delhi and Katra from about 14 hours to nearly six hours, while cutting the Delhi-Amritsar journey from about eight hours to four hours.
