Chandigarh/Jind/Sonipat, Jan 6 — Haryana is set to introduce India’s first hydrogen-powered train on the 89-km Jind–Sonepat route later this month, with the pilot project entering its final commissioning stage, the state government said on Tuesday.
The train will run on green hydrogen supplied from a dedicated production facility in Jind, developed to support the project. The plant, based on electrolysis technology, has a hydrogen storage capacity of three tonnes and is currently the largest on-ground installation of its kind in the country. The state has assured an uninterrupted 11 kV power supply to keep hydrogen production stable.
Manufactured by the Integral Coach Factory in Chennai, the train-set can carry up to 2,638 passengers, placing it among the longest hydrogen-powered trains globally. Northern Railway is implementing the pilot.
Reviewing preparedness with officials of the Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam, Haryana Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi called for strict monitoring of the power system. He said regular audits, strong backup arrangements and quick-response protocols were essential to avoid technical setbacks during the launch phase.
At the national level, the project is part of the railways’ ‘Hydrogen for Heritage’ programme, which focuses on converting diesel traction to cleaner alternatives. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had informed the Lok Sabha last month that manufacturing of the hydrogen train-set was complete and carried out in line with specifications laid down by the Research, Design and Standards Organisation.
Once operational, the hydrogen fuel-cell train will replace diesel with a system that emits only water vapour and heat. Officials see the Jind–Sonepat pilot as a model for cutting emissions on India’s large non-electrified rail network and a step towards the broader goal of rail decarbonisation by 2030.
