New Delhi: India is preparing to launch its own indigenous version of hydrogen-powered train. It will be designed, developed, manufactured and launched the next Independence Day, said railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.
“India has been able to build trains which are among the best in the world and the next big thing will be when the hydrogen-powered train is rolled out on August 15 next year,” the minister for railways, communication, electronics and IT said here at a programme.
The first fleet hydrogen-powered trains was rolled out in Germany last month. This gas is an environment-friendly fuel, and hence has zero pollution.
The minister said that technologically, India is one of the leading national in the world. “A train built at the Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai, was recently found to be among the best five trains in the world,” he said.
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“This train is better than all other trains on multiple parameters. A glass of water kept in the driver’s cabin stays undisturbed even when the train moves at the maximum speed indicating its stability,” Vaishnaw said, while referring to the Vande Bharat Express train. “It takes only 52 seconds to pick up 100 km/hour speed, while the famed Bullet train of Japan takes 55 seconds for the same,” he added.
Vaishnaw said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had asked the engineers to build world-class trains, which should be safe, stable and consume less energy besides running at a good speed. Attention was also being provided to cleanliness of railway stations and a satellite map had been prepared to identify 132 district headquarter towns that needed railway connectivity.
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The minister said that the engineers concerned have been told to prepare the detailed project report (DPR) for the make in India version of hydrogen-power train.
He said punctuality of trains in India was around 89 per cent at present, which needed to reach 100 per cent.
