Haryana is going to witness the launch of India's first hydrogen train

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In a major transport milestone, Haryana is preparing to witness the launch of India’s first hydrogen-powered train. A Haryana government statement on Tuesday, January 6, announced that the ambitious Northern Railway project connecting Jind and Sonipat is in the final stages of preparation, The Economic Times reports.

The hydrogen facility at Jind, which will provide fuel for the train during final commissioning and normal operations, is set to receive a reliable and uninterrupted 11 KV power supply. The hydrogen plant with a storage capacity of 3,000 kg is in its final commissioning stage.

Haryana Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi met officials of South Haryana Electricity Distribution Corporation (DHBVN) to review the project and directed for regular power supply reviews to avoid any hindrance in this ambitious project. He also stressed the need to strengthen alternative arrangements and rapid response processes.

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav had announced in the Lok Sabha last month that the Indian Railways is launching a state-of-the-art project to run its first hydrogen train on a pilot basis, as per the specifications prepared by the Research, Design and Standards Organization (RDSO).

“Manufacturing of hydrogen train-The set is complete. To provide hydrogen for use in this train-set, a hydrogen plant is envisioned at Jind. In this plant, hydrogen is being produced using electrolysis process, which is a key element of green hydrogen production,” he said.

Key Features of Hydrogen Train-Set

– Designed and developed in India, demonstrating Indian Railways’ commitment towards a self-reliant India.

– World’s longest (10 coaches) and most powerful (2400 kW) hydrogen train on broad gauge.

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– It has 2 driving power cars (1200 kW each) and 8 passenger coaches.

– Zero CO2 emissions, emitting only water vapor.

– This is an important step towards developing next generation fuel technology for Railways.

In July last year, Indian Railways had successfully tested a hydrogen-powered coach at the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai.

In a post on X, Vaishnav said, “First hydrogen powered coach (driving power car) successfully tested at ICF, Chennai. India is developing 1,200 HP hydrogen train. This will make India a leader in hydrogen powered train technology.”

Earlier in 2023, Vaishnav had announced plans to introduce 35 hydrogen trains Under ‘Hydrogen for Heritage’, targeting heritage and hill routes, the estimated cost is ₹80 crore per train and ₹70 crore per route for ground infrastructure.