27 Jul 2024
Indian Railways will launch its first hydrogen train this year, in sync with the National Hydrogen Mission to establish India as a global hub for green hydrogen production and export. The initiative is part of a broader effort to enhance the sustainability and efficiency of the national transport system.
Speaking at FICCI's Future Rail India 2024 conference, Anil Kumar Khandelwal, Member (Infrastructure) of the Railway Board at the Ministry of Railways, said, "Our first hydrogen train will be coming this year, and we are planning to launch about 50 by 2047." This move is part of Indian Railways' broader strategy to reduce its carbon footprint and integrate clean energy solutions into its operations. Additionally, Khandelwal confirmed that the much-anticipated high-speed rail project is on track, with India's first bullet train likely to see trains running by 2027.
Elaborating on the progress in security and infrastructure, Khandelwal spoke about the expansion of indigenous train protection system Kavach. "We have finalised the final specification of our Kavach for version IV on July 16. Now we are launching it on a large scale across the country," he said. The system is currently operational on over 1,400 km, with expansion work underway on 3,000 km of the Delhi-Mumbai and Delhi-Howrah routes. Bids have been invited for an additional 3,200 km, with plans to expand by another 5,000 km.
Urging significant participation of the industry in this national security initiative, he informed that three companies have already been approved for Kavach, and eight more companies are being considered. The Kavach system is an important part of Indian Railways' efforts to enhance the safety and reliability of its vast network.
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