Bhubaneswar: Odisha has taken a major step towards clean and sustainable public transport with plans to introduce hydrogen-powered buses as part of its first Green Hydrogen Mobility Project aimed at building a clean fuel ecosystem in the state.
A high-level review meeting chaired by Housing and Urban Development Department Additional Chief Secretary Usha Padhee on Wednesday assessed progress on the ambitious initiative, which is being jointly implemented by the Capital Region Urban Transport (CRUT), NTPC and GRIDCO.
The project seeks to establish Odisha’s first green hydrogen-based public transport ecosystem and aligns with the Centre’s National Green Hydrogen Mission as well as India’s broader commitment to achieving net-zero emissions.
Officials reviewed developments following the signing of a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) among NTPC, GRIDCO and CRUT. As part of the pilot phase, the project proposes the establishment of a green hydrogen production and refuelling facility at CRUT’s Pokhariput Depot in Bhubaneswar, along with the deployment of three Hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Buses.
According to an official release, the proposed facility will produce around 260 kilograms of green hydrogen daily. The hydrogen-powered buses are expected to run up to 600 kilometres a day under ideal operating conditions, offering a zero tailpipe emission alternative to conventional fuel-based public transport.
The project is also expected to significantly reduce carbon emissions, with estimates suggesting a reduction of nearly 900 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually.
The total capital investment for the initiative has been pegged at ₹53.55 crore. Of this, ₹19.52 crore has already been sanctioned as financial assistance under the National Green Hydrogen Mission through the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), while the remaining funds are expected to be mobilised through stakeholder contributions and state support mechanisms.
During the meeting, officials held detailed discussions on operational planning, route feasibility, financial viability, risk-sharing and institutional responsibilities among participating agencies. Under the proposed framework, NTPC will develop and operate hydrogen infrastructure, GRIDCO will facilitate power supply and subsidies, while CRUT will oversee bus operations and transport services.
The review also examined concerns raised by CRUT regarding operational expenditure, assured kilometre commitments, revenue-sharing and long-term sustainability of the proposed model.
Officials suggested that the pilot operations initially focus on the Bhubaneswar–Cuttack–Khordha–Puri–Konark corridor to ensure operational feasibility and demonstrate the viability of hydrogen-powered mobility in Odisha.
Issues related to land allocation, regulatory clearances, viability gap funding and inter-agency coordination also came up for discussion.
Chairing the meeting, Usha Padhee said the initiative has the potential to position Odisha among leading states adopting next-generation clean mobility technologies. She directed all stakeholder agencies to work in close coordination and expedite resolution of pending technical, financial and regulatory matters to ensure timely implementation of the project.
Senior officials from CRUT, NTPC, GRIDCO, IPICOL and the Housing and Urban Development Department attended the meeting held at Kharabela Bhawan in Bhubaneswar.
