Leh, Jun 23: Five hydrogen fuel cell-based buses will soon begin to commercially ply in Leh district of the Union Territory of Ladakh, which has the highest motorable roads in the world.
The buses were formally handed over by National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) Limited to the State Industrial Development Corporation in a ceremony held recently at the green hydrogen mobility station in Palam, Leh.
The initiative marks the first-ever commercial deployment of hydrogen-powered buses in India. The deployment of these buses running on clean energy on the highest motorable roads in the world makes it a globally significant milestone towards green mobility, officials said.
Following the formal flag-off of the hydrogen buses, Transport Department Administrative Secretary Bhupesh Chaudhary conducted a detailed inspection of the NTPC’s green hydrogen plant, including its production, storage and dispensing systems.
He appreciated NTPC’s efforts in implementing such a technologically advanced project in Ladakh’s high-altitude terrain and noted its significance in furthering the administration’s vision of a carbon-neutral Ladakh.
Chief Secretary Pawan Kotwal lauded NTPC’s pioneering efforts and observed that the successful operationalisation of hydrogen buses in such extreme conditions could usher in a new era of hydrogen fuel cell mobility in India.
He also directed the NTPC team to document the entire experiment and operational learnings, so that it may serve as a benchmark for similar initiatives in other regions of the country.
This initiative, developed through the collaborative efforts of the Ladakh administration and NTPC, stands as a testament to India’s growing leadership in renewable energy innovation and represents a major leap toward sustainable public transport in ecologically sensitive and strategically vital regions, officials said.
