Prime Minister Narendra Modi will flag off India’s first hydrogen-powered train service on July 17 in Jind, Haryana, according to reports.
The Railway Board has cleared the introduction of hydrogen trains as an alternative to coal and diesel locomotives, with the stated aim of curbing carbon emissions. Following the approval, a modern hydrogen train was built indigenously at the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Perambur, Chennai, at a cost of Rs 118 crore.
The train was handed over to the Railway Board in August last year. It subsequently underwent trial operations on the Jind–Lalit Khera section.
Under the supervision of a special team from the Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO), Lucknow, a 10-coach hydrogen train was also tested successfully on the Jind–Sonipat route, reaching speeds of up to 120 kmph.
The train uses hydrogen fuel cells in place of diesel, and is expected to emit only clean water vapour instead of harmful exhaust gases. Officials have also indicated that noise and vibrations would be lower than in conventional trains, reducing environmental impact.
