India upgrades 75 railway stations under Amrit Bharat scheme, unveils first hydrogen train

Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually inaugurated 75 railway stations across 20 Indian states as part of the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, a nationwide programme to modernise railway infrastructure. The redeveloped stations – including Sarona, Champa and Balod in Chhattisgarh; Majbat in Assam; several stations in Odisha, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab and other regions – now feature modern passenger amenities such as spacious concourses, upgraded platforms, foot‑over‑bridges, digital information systems, enhanced parking, wheelchair‑friendly facilities and heritage‑aware architecture.

On the same day Modi flagged off India’s first hydrogen‑powered passenger train, branded “NaMo Green Rail”, on an 89‑km Jind–Sonipat route in Haryana. The train carries about 2,600 passengers in ten coaches, runs on a 3,200‑horsepower hydrogen fuel‑cell system, and is billed as the world’s most powerful and longest hydrogen train. The launch is presented as a key step toward decarbonising the country’s extensive rail network.

Alongside the station inaugurations, the Prime Minister inaugurated and laid foundation stones for development projects worth several thousand crore rupees in Punjab, Chandigarh and other states, linking the rail upgrades to broader infrastructure investment.