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. PTI AB AB RUK RUK