Metro to get hydrogen-powered buses for feeder services

Sanction subject to KMRL inviting open bids for buses being wet-leased and ensuring supply of hydrogen

Hydrogen buses are expected to operate from suburban towns and busy commercial locales as stage carriers, halting at major bus stops en route to metro stations.

The State Government has approved a proposal of Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) to procure 10 hydrogen fuel cell-based electric buses to operate feeder services for the Kochi metro.

The State has sanctioned ₹10 crore based on KMRL’s request for ₹11.55 crore to procure/introduce as many buses to augment the metro’s feeder service network.

A Government Order issued by Principal Secretary (Transport) K.R. Jyotilal on Friday (October 29) said the sanction would be subject to KMRL inviting open bids for buses being wet-leased and for ensuring adequate supply of hydrogen. The total viability funding by the State Government for the project will be limited to ₹10 crore this year, it said.

Such buses, the first to be introduced in Kerala, are expected to operate from suburban towns and busy commercial locales as stage carriers, halting at major bus stops en route to metro stations.

KMRL managing director Loknath Behera said the metro agency had decided to operate hydrogen-powered buses in keeping with the national policy to promote green fuels in the transportation sector. Details of their introduction and training that ought to be conducted for crew and other stakeholders are being worked out. The number of buses is limited to 10, since they will be operated on an experimental basis. More buses could follow, he added.

“The routes and other parameters will be worked out shortly, after assessing passenger demand. Provision for refuelling too ought to be readied,” Mr. Behera said.

The reported failure on the part of KMRL to ready a sound network of feeder buses and autorickshaws, over four years since the metro’s commissioning, and despite trains carrying less than a tenth of the expected passenger patronage of over 4 lakh per day, had invited considerable flak.

Green power sources

Earlier this year, the Union Government had announced the launch of a Hydrogen Energy Mission to generate hydrogen from green power sources. Back in September 2016, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) had notified hydrogen as a fuel for Bharat Stage-VI vehicles, following which the Ministry specified the safety and type approval requirements for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.