Indian Railways on Friday added another feather to its cap in clean mobility with Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagging off India’s first hydrogen fuel cell trainset from here, a train that generates its own electricity onboard using hydrogen, the cleanest fuel known.
The 10-coach train running between Jind and Sonipat in Haryana will cover 90 km in just two hours, a landmark in the green mobility journey. The train is powered by a 3,200 HP propulsion system -- one of the most powerful hydrogen-powered trainsets in operation -- and emits only water vapour.
By leveraging India's own technology and handling everything from design to assembly domestically, India joins the ranks of countries operating hydrogen railways. Simultaneously, PM Modi dedicated to the nation and laid the foundation stones of the National Highway project of over Rs 12,470 crore in Haryana.
The milestone of a hydrogen-powered train marked the latest chapter in the evolution of how the Railways has powered its trains, reflecting India’s broader journey from coal and steam to cleaner, more sustainable sources of energy. Over the past 12 years, rapid electrification has significantly reduced dependence on imported diesel, paving the way for the next leap in clean rail mobility.
From Jind, the Prime Minister dedicated to the nation the 157.92-km-long four-lane, fully access-controlled Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway (Packages 1 to 5), developed at a cost of around Rs 9,680 crore. The Greenfield corridor forms part of the 667 km Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway that will reduce travel time between Delhi and Katra from about 14 hours to nearly six hours, while cutting the Delhi-Amritsar journey from about eight hours to four hours.
The project is expected to significantly decongest NH-44 (GT Road), boost pilgrim and tourist traffic to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi, and catalyse industrial and logistics development along the corridor. The Prime Minister also dedicated the 33.81-km-long four-lane, partially access-controlled Ambala-Kala Amb Highway on NH-7 and NH-344.
The highway will strengthen connectivity between the Ambala urban agglomeration and the Kala Amb industrial belt, improving road links between Haryana and Himachal Pradesh, facilitating tourist movement to hill regions and reducing logistics costs for industries in Kala Amb.
Another major project dedicated was the 40.60-km-long Jind-Gohana Greenfield Highway on NH-352A. The new highway will reduce travel time between Jind and Gohana from about two hours to just 40 minutes, benefiting commuters, freight transport and the agriculturally significant Jind-Gohana region while improving connectivity to Rohtak, Panipat and the Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR).
The Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone for the 24.27-km-long Hansi-Barwala Brownfield Highway Project, which will upgrade the existing carriageway to a 2/4-lane configuration with paved shoulders. PM Modi dedicated the Elevated Railway Track in Kurukshetra, a major urban infrastructure project that will eliminate long-standing traffic congestion at railway crossings in the city.
The project will ensure smoother vehicular movement, improve road safety and enhance the operational efficiency of both rail and road transport systems. PM Modi also dedicated major medical institutions to the nation -- Pandit Neki Ram Sharma Government Medical College, Bhiwani, Maharishi Chyawan Medical College and Rao Tula Ram Hospital in Koriawas in Narnaul.
These institutions will expand access to quality medical education in Haryana, increase the number of MBBS seats, improve the availability of specialist healthcare professionals and enable people to access better medical services closer to their homes, thereby strengthening the state's healthcare ecosystem.
Further enriching the region's cultural infrastructure, the Prime Minister laid the foundation stone of the Sikh Museum in Kurukshetra. The museum will showcase the history of Sikhism, the teachings of the Sikh Gurus, their courage, sacrifices and the invaluable contribution of the Sikh community to India's civilisation and culture through the use of modern technology.