Indian Railways takes BIG step, successfully tests country's first-ever...; Ashwini Vaishnaw shares update, check details

Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Friday (July 25) announced that the Indian Railways has successfully tested the country's first hydrogen-powered coach at the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai. According to the minister's post on X, the country is working on a 1,200 horsepower (HP) hydrogen train, which will help India place itself amongst the leaders in hydrogen-powered train technology. "First Hydrogen powered coach (Driving Power Car) successfully tested at ICF, Chennai. India is developing 1,200 HP Hydrogen train. This will place India among the leaders in Hydrogen powered train technology," Vaishnaw said in his X post.

What is the project scope and cost?
Friday's test marks a major milestone in India's effort to develop a 1,200 HP hydrogen train. The project is not only a massive technological stride but also aligns with the country's commitment to adopt greener transport systems. A couple of years back, Vaishnaw had told the Rajya Sabha (the upper house of the Parliament) that the Indian Railways planned to roll out 35 hydrogen-powered trains. Each hydrogen-powered train is expected to cost around Rs 80 crore, with an additional expense of Rs 70 crore per route, required for the supporting infrastructure.

What is the project's significance?
As part of the mission, a pilot project worth over Rs 111 crore is planned to be operated on the Jind–Sonipat section of the Northern Railway, where an old diesel train is being upgraded with hydrogen fuel cells. The Indian Railways plans a "Hydrogen for Heritage" programme, under which it will run hydrogen-powered trains on heritage and hill routes. It should be noted that the initial running cost of hydrogen trains may be high, but it is expected to come down over time. The project is in line with India's goal of reaching zero carbon emissions in the coming decades.

(With inputs from news agency ANI).