In response to Congress member MK Vishnu Prasad’s inquiry in the Lok Sabha regarding plans to reinstate rail ticket discounts for senior citizens, which were available prior to COVID-19, Vaishnaw mentioned that ticket prices in India are approximately five to ten percent of those in developed countries.
“Tickets remain extremely affordable compared to those in neighboring countries,” the minister remarked during the Question Hour. He added that last year, the Indian Railways allocated around Rs 60,000 crore in subsidies to ensure passenger transport remains within reach for citizens.
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“India provides the most economical transportation for our citizens compared to neighboring countries,” Vaishnaw stated.
On the topic of cost comparison between Hydrogen-fueled trains and existing systems, Vaishnaw noted that it would be an unfair evaluation. Since the Hydrogen-fueled train-set and its infrastructure are currently being developed as a pilot initiative, it’s not appropriate to compare them directly with established train systems at this point, he mentioned in a written statement in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.
Addressing inquiries about the timeline for launching green hydrogen-fueled trains and their cost relative to trains powered by other energy sources, Vaishnaw informed that Indian Railways is undertaking a cutting-edge project to operate its first hydrogen train on a pilot basis.
This initiative aligns with specifications set by the Research, Design & Standards Organisation (RDSO) to showcase the implementation of hydrogen-powered train technology in Railways.
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“The manufacturing of the Hydrogen Train-set is complete. A hydrogen plant has been proposed at Jind to supply hydrogen for this train-set. In this facility, hydrogen is produced using the electrolysis process, which is essential for green hydrogen generation,” Vaishnaw stated.
