Our Terms & Conditions | Our Privacy Policy
From a safety perspective, the train is equipped with specialised hydrogen storage tanks designed to withstand high pressure and temperature fluctuations, along with multi-layer leak detection systems. The Ministry of Railways has announced that India’s first hydrogen-powered train is in its final commissioning stage, with extensive equipment testing underway. The integral coach factory (ICF) in Chennai successfully tested the hydrogen-powered driving power car earlier this week.
This development places Indian Railways among a small group of countries conducting trials with hydrogen-powered trains.
Bharat’s Hydrogen Journey !
For the first time in India a hydrogen-powered train is set for its final commissioning, a landmark that showcases India’s rise as a technological powerhouse, driving innovation on the global stage. #HydrogenTrain pic.twitter.com/RGwt5COKIC— Ministry of Railways (@RailMinIndia) August 13, 2025
The project, initiated by the Northern Railway zone in 2020-21, involves converting two conventional 1600 HP diesel power cars into hydrogen fuel cell-powered traction systems and establishing a hydrogen storage and fuelling facility at Jind, Haryana.
The pilot initiative falls under the Ministry of Railways’ Hydrogen for Heritage project, announced in 2023, aimed at deploying hydrogen trains on heritage and hill routes. In the 2023–24 Union Budget, ₹2,800 crore was allocated for developing 35 hydrogen fuel cell trains, along with ₹600 crore for related infrastructure.
For the pilot phase, existing Diesel-Electric Multiple Unit rakes will be retrofitted with green hydrogen fuel cells.
Technology & safety
The hydrogen-powered locomotive, developed indigenously by the Research, Design, and Standard Organisation (RDSO) in Lucknow, boasts a formidable 1,200 horsepower — nearly double the output of most hydrogen locomotives globally, which average 500–600 HP. This higher power rating is engineered to handle India’s diverse and challenging railway terrains, ensuring performance consistency across gradients and climatic variations.
From a safety perspective, the train is equipped with specialised hydrogen storage tanks designed to withstand high pressure and temperature fluctuations, along with multi-layer leak detection systems. The fuelling infrastructure features automated safety cut-offs, continuous monitoring, and robust fire suppression mechanisms. The integration of these measures not only ensures passenger and crew safety but also complies with global best practices for hydrogen transport.This combination of high-powered design, indigenous innovation, and stringent safety protocols positions India as a potential leader in the adoption of green hydrogen technology for rail transport.
- Published On Aug 13, 2025 at 05:02 PM IST
Join the community of 2M+ industry professionals.
Subscribe to Newsletter to get latest insights & analysis in your inbox.
Get updates on your preferred social platform
Follow us for the latest news, insider access to events and more.
Images are for reference only.Images and contents gathered automatic from google or 3rd party sources.All rights on the images and contents are with their legal original owners.
Aggregated From –
Comments are closed.