India's First Hydrogen Train Struggles With Dismal Ridership: Only 80 Passengers Daily Out of 2,600 Capacity
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India's ambitious leap into green transportation is currently facing a massive hurdle as the nation's first-ever hydrogen train grapples with an acute shortage of commuters. Launched with much fanfare on July 17 from Jind's Pandu-Pindara station, the world's longest and most powerful hydrogen train boasts a massive seating capacity of 2,600 passengers, featuring eight coaches and two engines. Operating six days a week—with Fridays reserved for maintenance—across the roughly 89-kilometer Jind-Gohana-Sonipat route, the train has recorded shockingly low utilization. Official figures reveal that between July 20 and August 20, just 1,035 passengers traveled from Sonipat to Gohana and Jind, with a nearly identical count in the reverse direction. Averaged across 26 operational days in the month, a mere 80 passengers are utilizing the massive train daily, falling drastically short of expectations and prompting urgent reviews by railway authorities.
Exploring Route Extensions and Strategic Diversions to Boost Commuter Numbers
Faced with mounting concerns over empty coaches, railway officials and experts are actively considering strategic route expansions to attract higher ridership. Analysts suggest that redirecting or extending the service along the high-demand Jind-Panipat-Sonipat-Delhi corridor could provide an immediate solution. While daily commuters on existing morning and evening local trains between Panipat and Delhi frequently struggle to find standing space, routing the hydrogen train through this densely populated commuter belt would provide immense relief to regular travelers while ensuring optimal capacity utilization for India's pioneering eco-friendly rail project.
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