Indian Railways to replace diesel trains with hydrogen on heritage routes by Dec 2023

NEW DELHI: The railways is all set to roll out hydrogen-powered trains on narrow-hilly areas by December 2023, to become net-zero emissions by 2030. The initiative aims to turn the railways 'greener' and environment -friendly.

Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, speaking to reporters on Tuesday said that the hydrogen-powered locomotives will be used to run the eight heritage routes across the country.

"At present, these trains are run on either stream or diesel, but within the next two years, gradually, trains will be converted into green hydrogen-powered locomotives", the minister said.

The most attractive thing about this first-of-its-kind move would be that the outlook of these trains would remain the same but they would be powered by hydrogen.

"The outlook will remain the same while its energy sources will be powered by hydrogen", the minister remarked, further adding that a hydrogen-powered train at the Northern Railway workshop. It will go for a test run on the Sonipat-Jind section in Haryana.

The minister further said that the railway is working on being more sustainable and green without losing its grandeur in services.

Ashwini Vaishnaw said the trains will be on the lines of those running in China and Germany.

The heritage routes of the Indian Railways, which run mainly on diesel – Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, Nilgiri Mountain Railway, Kalka Shimla Railway, Matheran Hill Railway, Kangra Valley, Bilmora Waghai and Marwar-Deogarh Madaria.