HARYANA: A viral social media campaign attempting to portray India’s first hydrogen-powered train as a technological failure has been debunked by the Indian Railways. Contrary to claims that the train suffered a major technical fault just a day after its launch and had to be rescued by two locomotives, officials have categorically stated that the video being circulated online shows a routine maintenance movement not a breakdown.
The misleading posts falsely claimed that India’s much-publicised hydrogen train malfunctioned almost immediately after its inauguration, suggesting that the country’s indigenous technology had failed. However, Northern Railway has clarified that these assertions are “factually incorrect” and intended to create a false narrative around one of India’s most significant green mobility initiatives.
The controversy erupted after a video surfaced on social media showing a diesel locomotive pulling the newly launched hydrogen-powered train. Several users claimed that the train had broken down on its second day of operation, with captions alleging that the “indigenous technology failed.”
A post falsely claims that India's hydrogen train developed a technical fault a day after its launch and had to be pulled by two locomotives. Northern Railway has clarified that the train operates between Jind and Sonipat. The use of a locomotive for maintenance movement is a… pic.twitter.com/hyl0sMTwCF
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Northern Railway has firmly rejected these allegations.
According to the official clarification, the hydrogen-powered train is currently designated to operate exclusively on the 89-kilometre Jind-Sonipat section in Haryana. The footage in question merely shows the train being hauled by a diesel locomotive to its maintenance facility at Jind a standard operational practice followed for specialised trainsets.
Railway officials emphasised that using a conventional locomotive to move a train for scheduled maintenance or positioning is a routine procedure and should not be mistaken for evidence of a technical malfunction.
Officials have categorically stated that the hydrogen train has not experienced any technical failure.
The viral claim that the train was “rescued” after breaking down has no factual basis. The movement captured in the video was purely logistical, involving the transportation of the train to its maintenance base, which is common practice for many specialised rolling stock.
The Railways termed the social media claims “misleading” and “factually incorrect,” urging the public not to fall for misinformation circulated without verification. The hydrogen-powered train was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as part of India’s broader push towards cleaner and more sustainable transportation.
Designed as a 10-coach train with the capacity to carry approximately 2,600 passengers, it represents a significant step in reducing dependence on fossil fuels and lowering carbon emissions in the railway sector. For its initial phase, the train will operate on the Jind-Sonipat corridor under Northern Railway, where its performance and operational efficiency will be monitored before wider deployment.
