Hydrogen trains to be introduced in other parts of the country after successful completion of pilot project

Chandigarh, 17 July (H.S.): Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced that India’s first hydrogen-powered train would be extended to Delhi in the near future. The train will initially operate between Jind and Sonipat.

Addressing a programme held in Jind on Friday to dedicate the country’s first hydrogen train to the public, Vaishnaw said the Railway Ministry had already started trials of the train on the Sonipat-Delhi railway route.

He said the testing process would be completed soon, following which the train service would be extended from Jind to Delhi. Hydrogen-powered trains would also be introduced in other parts of the country after the successful completion of the pilot project.

The Railway Minister said India had joined the group of select countries possessing complete hydrogen train technology. Addressing the people of Haryana, he said the state had created history by becoming the first in the country where a train was being operated using hydrogen produced from water.

Vaishnaw said Haryana used to receive an annual railway budget of 315 crore during the previous Congress-led government. Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, the allocation had been increased nearly elevenfold to ₹3,500 crore.

He said railway projects worth around ₹18,000 crore were currently under implementation in Haryana. Redevelopment work was underway at 34 railway stations, of which five had already been completed.

The minister said 16 Vande Bharat and eight Amrit Bharat trains were currently operating through Haryana. He added that the state’s railway network had achieved 100 per cent electrification.

Vaishnaw said Haryana would continue to benefit from several major railway projects of the Union Government in the coming years.

Hindusthan Samachar / GURSHARAN SINGH