Saroor
Leh, Dec 22: Rapidly moving towards becoming a carbon neutral region, Union Territory of Ladakh is preparing to run five hydrogen fuel buses in the new year.
The three-month trial of running these buses on the roads of Leh is almost completed and are ready to face the acid test in the extreme conditions of Cold Desert.
“Hydrogen fuel buses are set to hit the roads in Ladakh once the process to get certificates to formally operate them are issued and to be handed over to traffic department,” said an official.
They said that operating hydrogen buses after e-buses in Ladakh will surely to boost the campaign to make the region carbon neutral.
“A green hydrogen refueling station is also coming up in Leh to run hydrogen fuel buses. Along with this, formalities are being completed towards building the same refueling station in Kargil district as well,” they added.
They said that it is the dream of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to make Ladakh a carbon neutral region.
Prime Minister had laid the foundation stone of Green Hydrogen Mobility Pilot Project in July last year.
This project is being built by National Thermal Power Corporation and land has also been made available by the Ladakh government.
“The Green Hydrogen Mobility Pilot Project is an ambitious project of the country. It is best effort to ensure that these buses start running on the roads to remove carbon footprints from the environment of Ladakh,” said an official.
He informed that the construction of green hydrogen refueling station in Leh is in the final stage and solar power project is also ready.
“Efforts are on towards making Ladakh a carbon neutral state and presently it is being seen how these buses will respond in the extremely cold environment,” he added.
“We hope that hydrogen fuel buses will be dedicated to the people in the summer. Currently 19 e-buses running on the roads of Ladakh are playing an important role in curbing carbon emissions. We are trying our best to promote vehicles running on green energy in Ladakh,” said an official.
He added that these 19 e-buses, which have covered over ten lakh kilometers distance in the Ladakh region in a year, have reduced 25,20,000 kg of carbon emissions in the region.
