Haryana to debut India’s first hydrogen train on Jind-Sonepat route
89-km journey will be powered by a dedicated hydrogen plant in Jind, currently the largest on-ground facility of its kind in the country.
In a milestone for India’s green energy goals, Haryana is set to launch the nation’s first hydrogen-powered train on the 89-km Jind-Sonepat route later this month.
The pilot project, spearheaded by Northern Railway, has entered its final commissioning phase, a Haryana government statement said in Chandigarh on Tuesday.
To power the locomotive, a dedicated green hydrogen plant has been set up in Jind. The facility, which uses electrolysis to extract hydrogen from water, has a storage capacity of 3 tonnes. Currently, this is the largest on-ground facility of its kind in the country. To ensure uninterrupted production, the state has guaranteed a stable 11kV power supply.
Manufactured by the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai, the train can carry up to 2,638 passengers, making it one of the longest hydrogen trains in the world.
Haryana chief secretary Anurag Rastogi, following a high-level review with Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVN) officials, directed that the power supply system undergo regular audits. He emphasised the need for robust backup arrangements and rapid-response mechanisms to prevent any technical delays during the commissioning phase.
The pilot project aligns with the railway ministry’s ‘Hydrogen for Heritage’ initiative, aimed at retrofitting older diesel engines with clean technology.
Last month, railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw informed the Lok Sabha that the train-set manufacturing is complete, following specifications by the Research, Design and Standards Organisation (RDSO).
By replacing diesel with hydrogen fuel cells, the train will emit only water vapour and heat, positioning India alongside global leaders like Germany and China in the race for zero-emission rail. The pilot serves as a blueprint for decarbonising India’s vast non-electrified rail network by 2030.
