BHUBANESWAR: Odisha government’s plan to introduce hydrogen powered public transportation in Odisha has picked up pace with the Housing and Urban Development department taking stock of the progress.
The project, jointly implemented by CRUT, NTPC and GRIDCO, seeks to establish the state’s first green hydrogen ecosystem for urban mobility. A tripartite memorandum of understanding was signed in December 2024 for implementation of the project.
The progress of the project was reviewed by additional chief secretary, HUD department Usha Padhee at a high level meeting here on Wednesday.
The proposed project envisages establishment of a green hydrogen production and refuelling facility at CRUT’s Pokhariput depot in Bhubaneswar, along with deployment of three hydrogen fuel cell electric buses as a pilot initiative.
The project aims to generate approximately 260 kg of green hydrogen per day and operate hydrogen fuel cell buses capable of running up to 600 km daily. Besides providing a clean and efficient public transport alternative, the project is expected to eliminate tailpipe emissions, reduce nearly 900 tonne of carbon dioxide annually and contribute to environmental sustainability.
The meeting reviewed the scope and obligations under the tripartite MoU under which NTPC is responsible for developing and operating the hydrogen infrastructure. GRIDCO will facilitate power supply and applicable subsidies, while CRUT will manage bus operations and public transport services.
The proposed routes and service patterns were also reviewed. It was suggested that the initial deployment be focused on the Bhubaneswar-Cuttack-Khordha-Puri-Konark corridor so as to ensure operational feasibility. Besides, requirements relating to land allotment, regulatory approvals, viability gap funding and institutional coordination were also discussed.
Total capital investment for the project is estimated at Rs 53.55 crore of which Rs 19.52 crore has been sanctioned as financial assistance under the National Green Hydrogen Mission through the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy. The rest is proposed to be met through stakeholder contributions and applicable state support mechanisms.