SRINAGAR: In a significant leap toward sustainable public transport, five hydrogen fuel cell buses have been formally handed over to the Ladakh administration by NTPC Limited, marking India’s first commercial deployment of hydrogen-powered buses. The buses will operate in Leh, home to the world’s highest motorable roads, making this project globally significant for clean mobility.
The handover ceremony took place at the NTPC Green Hydrogen Mobility Station in Palam, Leh, and was attended by senior officials, including Transport Secretary Bhupesh Chaudhary and Chief Secretary Pawan Kotwal. The buses, now under the charge of Sindhu Infrastructure Development Corporation (SIDCO), are part of a joint initiative between NTPC and the Ladakh administration aimed at advancing Ladakh’s goal of becoming a carbon-neutral region.
These buses will operate from a hydrogen fuelling station co-located with a 1.7 MW solar plant at an altitude of 11,562 feet. Designed for high-altitude and sub-zero conditions, they run on hydrogen fuel dispensed at 350 bar pressure. The project is expected to reduce carbon emissions by 350 metric tonnes annually and generate 230 metric tonnes of oxygen—equivalent to the environmental benefit of 13,000 trees.
NTPC’s initiative follows its establishment of India’s first high-pressure hydrogen station in November 2024. Officials said the project will serve as a live case study for deploying hydrogen fuel mobility in other ecologically and strategically sensitive parts of the country.
Chief Secretary Kotwal urged NTPC to document all operational learnings to serve as a template for future deployments. “This pioneering project could transform mobility in high-altitude and off-grid regions across India,” he said.
India is simultaneously pushing hydrogen mobility on other fronts. Earlier this year, Tata Motors began trial operations of hydrogen-powered trucks across major freight corridors, while its FCEV buses are already under testing following a government-backed pilot.
NTPC, India’s largest integrated power utility, with over 81 GW installed capacity and 29.5 GW under development, said it remains committed to achieving 60 GW of renewable capacity by 2032. Company officials said the hydrogen mobility project in Leh exemplifies its transition towards clean energy technologies.
As the buses begin operations, officials in Leh hope this green transport experiment will inspire other regions to adopt similar technologies in line with India’s National Green Hydrogen Mission.
