Hydrogen Trials on 10 Highways: Gadkari Says Hydrogen is Future of Mobility

Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, announced on Thursday that the government is conducting pilot projects on ten highway corridors to test hydrogen-powered mobility solutions. Speaking at the Prawaas 5.0 and Bharat Prawaas Awards event in Gandhinagar, Gadkari said, “Our ministry is doing a pilot project on ten routes for hydrogen trials. I am sure the future of the transportation industry is hydrogen, and hydrogen is the fuel of the future, and we are working on that.”

The trials are underway on the Greater Noida-Delhi-Agra, Bhubaneswar-Konark-Puri, Ahmedabad-Vadodara-Surat, Sahibabad-Faridabad-Delhi, Pune-Mumbai, Jamshedpur-Kalinga Nagar, Thiruvananthapuram-Kochi, Kochi-Edappally, Jamnagar-Ahmedabad and NH-16 Visakhapatnam-Bayyavaram routes. The initiative is part of a broader push towards cleaner mobility and reducing dependence on imported crude oil.

Gadkari highlighted India's progress in alternative fuel and biofuel technologies, expressing confidence that the country would become a global leader in innovation and cost competitiveness. He urged vehicle manufacturers and transport operators to focus on improving passenger comfort by adopting advanced technologies while maintaining affordability. “The duty of our manufacturers is to give more comfort with reasonable economic value,” he said.

Addressing road safety, Gadkari noted that India records nearly five lakh road accidents annually, resulting in around 1.8 lakh deaths. Nearly 66% of those killed are between 18 and 36 years of age, and road accidents cause an estimated 3% loss to the country's GDP. “Road safety is the highest priority for the government,” he stated, appreciating the industry's efforts in safety and technology.

Gadkari also said the Indian automobile sector has grown from Rs 14 lakh crore to Rs 22 lakh crore, rising from the world's seventh-largest to the third-largest automobile industry. The sector provides the highest revenue to state and central governments and has created 4.5 crore jobs. The government aims to make India the global leader in the sector.

Separately, Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said the government is currently testing E25, petrol blended with 25% ethanol, but no decision has been taken on commercial introduction. “We have not even decided on it and E25 is only being tested now,” he said, adding that there is no fixed timeline. The government will complete scientific studies and consult stakeholders before any rollout.

Gadkari clarified that fuel policy decisions rest with the petroleum ministry but reiterated his support for offering consumers multiple alternative fuel options. He acknowledged that ethanol has a lower calorific value and may slightly impact mileage.