Asserting that hydrogen is the future of the transportation industry, Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari has said that the government is conducting trials on 10 routes across the country to test its use as a fuel. The minister said that trials are underway on Greater Noida-Delhi-Agra, Bhubaneshwar-Konark-Puri, Ahmedabad-Vadodara-Surat, Sahibabad-Faridabad-Delhi, Pune-Mumbai, Jamshedpur-Kalinga Nagar, Thiruvananthapuram-Kochi, Kochi-Edappally, Jamnagar-Ahmedabad, and NH-16 Visakhapatnam-Bayyavaram routes.
Ministry working on a pilot project for hydrogen trials
While addressing the ‘Pravasa 5.0’ and Bharat Pravas Awards event in Hyderabad, the Union Minister said, “The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways is working on a pilot project for hydrogen trials on 10 routes. I am confident that hydrogen is the future of the transport industry and the fuel of the future, and we are working in this direction.”
Preparations to run buses in Delhi on hydrogen made from waste
In the national capital, Delhi, public buses are being considered for hydrogen production from municipal waste. Nitin Gadkari recently announced that hydrogen-powered buses could be introduced in Delhi. Gadkari said, “People have asked how this will happen. Has there ever been a time in the last 50 years when one of my predictions hasn’t come true?” Gadkari added, “This waste will be separated and used to produce hydrogen through a bio-digester. Delhi’s buses will run on this. This is all possible.”
He said that from Rs 14 lakh crore and 7th rank globally when he took over, the country’s automobile industry is today 3rd in the world, with size growing to Rs 22 lakh crore.
The minister also urged electric bus manufacturers to pass on the benefits of reduced lithium-ion battery costs to consumers. He said the cost of power for charging at Rs 20 is high and his ministry is working to reduce it for buses, trucks and cars.
Country’s first hydrogen train will run with passengers on July 17
Indian Railways will begin commercial operation of the country’s first hydrogen train on July 17, 2026. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will flag off the train. It will run between Jind and Sonipat in Haryana. The train will run using hydrogen fuel cell technology, resulting in virtually zero pollution. Fares for the country’s first hydrogen train, which will run between Jind and Sonipat, will start at just Rs 5 and go up to Rs 25.
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