The Indian Railways will introduce its first hydrogen-powered train by December 2023, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Thursday. "By end of next year, we would have our first hydrogen train, designed in India," Vaishnaw said. He was speaking at a meeting of the Apex Monitoring Authority of the National Industrial Corridor Development and Implementation Trust.
The minister did not give any further details on the hydrogen-powered trains which are part of Indian Railways' target to achieve net-zero carbon emission by 2030.
In August 2021, Indian Railways had invited bids to convert two diesel-powered trains, to be followed by two hybrid or diesel-electric trains, into hydrogen-powered trains, which would operate on the 89-km Sonipat-Jind section of the Northern Railway.
Railways had said the project is expected to lead to savings of 23 million rupees annually. Media reports also said that the Railways has finalised plans to introduce hydrogen fuel cell-based technology for narrow gauge locomotives in the Kalka-Shimla stretch.
