Leh, Ladakh: June 25, 2025: Leh is the first city in India to introduce hydrogen fuel cell buses for public transport, marking a significant milestone in the country's clean mobility movement. This week, state-owned NTPC Ltd formally turned over five of these buses—which are built to function at high elevations and in below-freezing temperatures—to the Ladakh government, marking the nation's first commercial use of hydrogen-powered buses.
A major step towards India's National Green Hydrogen Mission and Ladakh's goal of becoming a carbon-neutral region, the launch was held at NTPC's Green Hydrogen Mobility Station in the Palam area of Leh. The Sindhu Infrastructure Development Corporation (SIDCO), a local state organisation, is now in charge of operating the buses.
The project's location is what sets it apart from others worldwide: the buses will travel the highest motorable roads in the world at an elevation of 11,562 feet. They are supported by a hydrogen station that is situated next to a 1.7 MW solar power plant, allowing for completely environmentally friendly fuel production. For effective fuelling in severe weather, hydrogen is dispensed at a high pressure of 350 bar.
According to officials, the deployment could produce about 230 metric tonnes of oxygen per year and cut carbon emissions by 350 metric tonnes, which is a co-benefit equal to planting 13,000 trees.
Ladakh Chief Secretary Pawan Kotwal, who was present at the launch, remarked, "Given the operating conditions, this is a pioneering project not just for India but globally." "For them to be replicated in other strategically important and environmentally sensitive areas, we are encouraging NTPC to document all operational learnings."
India is gaining momentum in the hydrogen space. In order to establish India as a global centre for the production, consumption, and export of green hydrogen, the government announced a ₹19,744 crore National Green Hydrogen Mission in 2023. One of the first practical applications of that vision is the Leh project, which is supported by NTPC's renewable energy division.
The current rollout is regarded as a crucial proof-of-concept for hydrogen's viability in challenging terrains. NTPC had previously put India's first high-pressure hydrogen fuelling station into service in Leh in November 2024.
By 2032, the public utility plans to have 60 GW of renewable capacity, marking a significant shift towards clean energy. With an additional 29.5 GW planned, it currently has over 81 GW of installed power capacity.
Public transport isn't the only way India is pursuing hydrogen. In certain urban clusters, Tata Motors' hydrogen fuel cell electric buses (FCEVs) are undergoing pilot testing under government programmes, and the company recently started testing hydrogen-powered trucks on national freight corridors.
Nevertheless, Leh's success is especially symbolic because it represents a geographical and technological anomaly. One of the hardest places to test zero-emission transit is Ladakh because of its fragile environment, high tourist traffic, and restricted grid access.
According to an NTPC spokesperson, "Leh has demonstrated that hydrogen is not just a concept for the future—it can power real public mobility today, even in the harshest of environments."
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