DMRC Launches Delhi’s First Hydrogen Shuttle Bus Near Central Vista

Delhi has started running its first bus powered by hydrogen fuel in the Central Vista zone. The service began on May 15 under DMRC. The step came after Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke about cutting fuel use during global uncertainty.

The shuttle bus will help metro passengers travel between Central Secretariat and Seva Teerth stations. The main focus is to reduce pollution and support cleaner public transport in the capital.

The vehicle was made by Tata Motors and later handed over to DMRC by Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL).IOCL introduced the bus in 2023 as part of a testing project for hydrogen-based public transport.

The vehicle runs using a hydrogen-based fuel cell system. It is equipped with a 350 bar hydrogen tank and a 70 kW fuel cell unit for power. Various modern safety systems have been added, such as electronic braking, balance control, smart monitoring and digital maintenance support.

It is 12 meters long and has a capacity of 35 passengers.

Its route will cover many important places in central Delhi, such as:

• Kartavya Bhawan
• Vigyan Bhawan
• Nirman Bhawan
• Akbar Road
• Baroda House
• National Stadium
• National Gallery of Modern Art
• India Gate
• Seva Teerth Metro Station

Hydrogen buses are seen as cleaner than CNG buses because they do not release harmful smoke into the air. Still, bringing large numbers of hydrogen buses to city roads may take more time because the fuel system is costly and needs special fuel stations.

At present, CNG buses remain the easier choice for regular city transport. The hydrogen bus service is mainly being used as a trial to check how this fuel can work in the future.