Himachal CM for operating Kalka-Shimla trains on hydrogen

Shimla : Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Sukhu on Monday said the state government has urged the Ministry of Railways to explore the possibility of converting the Kalka-Shimla UNESCO World Heritage train to run on green hydrogen.

In a letter to the Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, he urged the ministry to consider transforming this historic rail line into a green energy-powered route.

“The state government aims to make Himachal Pradesh a green energy state by March 31, 2026, and has undertaken several initiatives to achieve this goal,” Sukhu wrote.

Further, he said the state “is working on a six-pronged strategy to transform the state into a certified Green Energy State, contributing significantly to India’s climate commitments and aligning with the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). This strategic transition will ensure a fair and just shift towards sustainable energy while also boosting the state’s economy”.

The Chief Minister said the state is on track to replace its current thermal power consumption of 1,500 million units (MUs) with renewable sources, including hydro, solar, and wind power. He said currently the state consumes 13,500 MUs of power, with a large portion already derived from renewable sources.

Achieving 90 per cent renewable energy consumption in the power distribution network will enable Himachal Pradesh to be certified as a fully green state of the country. This transition is expected to be completed within a year and will also allow industries in the state to apply for the ‘Eco Mark’, enhancing the value of their products.

He said the government is also laying a strong focus on solar power generation, with plans to establish a capacity of 2,000 MW over the next four to five years. “Solar power generation has doubled in the past two years, reflecting the government’s commitment to this clean energy source,” reads the letter.

The Chief Minister said, in addition, the government has launched the ‘Green Panchayat’ scheme, a decentralised renewable energy initiative. Under this scheme, 500 KW grid-connected ground-mounted solar power plants are being set up at the panchayat level. Income from the sale of this power will be used to fund eco-friendly and sustainable development projects.

He said the state is also making significant progress in the production of ‘Green Hydrogen.’ The first facility, in collaboration with Oil India Ltd is underway and discussions with private investors for more such facilities are ongoing.

Sukhu said as part of the state’s efforts to promote electric vehicles (EVs), 1,500 buses from the state transport corporation’s fleet of 3,200 buses will be replaced with electric buses over the next two to three years. He said the government is also transitioning its own fleet of diesel and petrol vehicles to electric. Additionally, six major national highways have been developed as green corridors for EVs.

Under the Rajiv Gandhi Startup Yojana, unemployed youth are being provided with a 50 per cent grant to purchase EV taxis and buses, ensuring the deployment of environment-friendly vehicles within government services.