Haryana, Jul 17: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday flagged off India’s first hydrogen-powered train connecting Jind to Sonipat in Haryana from here, calling it a successful example of the ‘Make in India’ campaign.
With this, India has joined a select group of countries that have operational hydrogen-powered trains and marks an important step towards the adoption of clean and sustainable mobility in the railway sector.
The 89-km distance between Jind and Sonipat will be covered in two hours, with the train halting at 12 intermediate stations.
After flagging off the train, the prime minister also dedicated to the nation and laid foundation stone of various development projects worth Rs 14,700 crore.
Addressing a public gathering later, Modi called the hydrogen-powered train a successful example of the ‘Make In India’ campaign.
Today, Indian Railways has taken a major step and this hydrogen train from Jind to Sonipat is the world’s most powerful train, he asserted.
Referring to the West Asia conflict, Modi said India receives huge quantity of petrol, diesel, LPG gas, and fertilizers through the Strait of Hormuz.
However, for the last three to four months, this path has continuously become a battlefield, he said.
Despite the war and oil crisis, India’s railways and the country’s development vehicle has not stalled, he said.
“If this situation had arisen before 2014, the work of India’s railways would have come to a complete standstill,” he asserted.
Modi also said that his visit to Jind has opened a window to old memories. “I cannot forget the love I have got,” he said.
Jind’s ‘ghee’ and ‘ghevar’ have not changed in years but its ‘tevar’ (attitude) has, he said, while adding Jind is becoming a model of BJP’s good governance.
Names of Jind, Sonipat and Haryana will come up whenever there is mention of hydrogen train, I congratulate the entire country, he added.
The train, styled in a striking sky-blue and white colour scheme, is powered by hydrogen fuel cell technology, which converts hydrogen into electricity to propel the train.
The process produces only water vapour as a by-product, resulting in zero carbon emissions during operation.
Compared to diesel trains, they eliminate tailpipe emissions, lower dependence on fossil fuels and fossil fuel imports, and operate with significantly less noise. Unlike conventional electric trains, they do not require continuous overhead electrification infrastructure, as electricity is generated onboard through hydrogen fuel cells, making them a clean and efficient solution.
The use of green hydrogen also reduces dependence on electricity generated from fossil fuel-based thermal power plants, supporting India’s transition to sustainable transport.
India’s hydrogen train features a 10-coach configuration, making it among the longest hydrogen-powered passenger trains developed so far. Its 3,200 HP propulsion system makes it one of the most powerful hydrogen-powered trainsets in operation A 1,200-kilowatt hydrogen-fuel-cell-propulsion system will power the 10-car trainset with a capacity of around 2,600 passengers, demonstrating the scalability of hydrogen-powered rail transport for high-capacity passenger operations. ( PTI )
