Indian Railways to launch its first Hydrogen train this year: Railways Board Member

 Speaking at FICCI’s Future Rail India 2024 conference, Anil Kumar Khandelwal, Member (Infrastructure) of the Railway Board at the Ministry of Railways, said that environmental sustainability is a key focus for the ministry. “Our first hydrogen train will be coming this year, and we are planning to launch about 50 by 2047,” he said.Railways’ ambitious plans extend to high-speed rail, said Khandelwal, adding that India is likely to see its first bullet train “running by 2027.”

During his presentation, Khandewal alluded to multiple opportunities for the private sector, spanning infrastructure development, safety, and passenger amenities development. Urging the industry to “gear up and deliver,” he noted, “This is the best time in the railway, where secured funding is available. It is on us how much we can deliver; funds are not a constraint.”

Shantanu Roy, Chairman & Managing Director of BEML, emphasised that the country is “on the cusp of a transformation,” with the railway developments seen so far being merely “the tip of the iceberg.” He outlined eight pillars crucial for the future of rail modernisation in India. These include infrastructure development, electrification, technological advancements, logistics, safety and security, passenger amenities, sustainability initiatives, and metro expansion as key areas. Roy highlighted BEML’s significant contributions to the sector, having supplied over 20,000 coaches to the railways and 2,000 cars for metro systems. He also announced that BEML is set to deliver India’s first Vande Bharat sleeper train “within the next few weeks.”

BVN Rao, Chairman, FICCI Transport Infrastructure Committee and Business Chairman (Transportation & Urban Infra), GMR Group, underlined the significant progress and innovative advancements that have reshaped Indian Railways, setting new benchmarks in efficiency, sustainability, and connectivity. He noted the crucial role of cutting-edge technologies such as GIS, IoT, and Big Data analytics in enhancing operational efficiency and safety measures.

Vivek Lohia, Co-Chairman (Railways) of the FICCI Transport Infrastructure Committee and Managing Director of Jupiter Wagons, underscored the railway’s superior efficiency and sustainability, noting its 40 percent greater efficiency compared to road transport and an 85 percent lower carbon footprint. He also highlighted the sector’s recent achievements, including a 10 percent increase in operations and a 5 percent growth in freight loading capacity over the past year, with railways now carrying more than 1,600 million tonnes of freight.