Odisha Joins India’s Green Hydrogen Highway Mission
Bhubaneswar-Puri-Konark Route Among First Corridors Selected for Hydrogen Trucks
Bhubaneswar: Odisha has found a place in India’s ambitious plan to introduce green hydrogen-powered trucks, with the Bhubaneswar–Puri–Konark route identified as one of the 10 priority corridors across the country. Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari announced the initiative, calling it a step toward reducing vehicular pollution and promoting sustainable transportation.
Alongside Odisha’s coastal route, other key highways chosen include Greater Noida–Delhi–Agra, Ahmedabad–Vadodara–Surat, Sahibabad–Faridabad–Delhi, Jamshedpur–Kalinganagar, Thiruvananthapuram–Kochi, and Jamnagar–Ahmedabad. The selection of Bhubaneswar–Puri–Konark is significant as it not only connects important religious and tourist destinations but also positions Odisha as a stakeholder in India’s clean mobility roadmap.
To support the hydrogen-powered trucks, hydrogen refueling stations will be established along these routes. The infrastructure will be developed by Indian Oil Corporation and Reliance Petroleum. At the same time, major Indian automobile companies such as Tata Motors and Ashok Leyland, along with Volvo, are already building the trucks that will run on hydrogen.
Gadkari emphasized that India has the potential to become a major exporter of green hydrogen. By cutting down dependence on fossil fuels, the country can reduce pollution while saving billions in import bills. He also announced that freight costs in India will be brought down to single digits by December, a move that will make the economy more competitive.
For Odisha, the plan is more than just about trucks—it signals the state’s growing importance in the country’s transport and energy transition. With cities like Bhubaneswar positioning themselves as smart cities and Puri being a global religious destination, the green corridor can also serve as a model for clean tourism and eco-friendly development.
A recent study by IIT Bangalore, IIT Chennai, and IIT Kanpur has already shown that India’s road transport costs have dropped by 6 percent due to improved efficiency. The government’s target is to further reduce these costs and place India’s automobile industry at the top globally within five years. Odisha’s corridor will be part of this experiment, providing valuable insights into how hydrogen mobility can work at scale.
India has committed to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2070. The adoption of hydrogen-powered trucks, especially on high-traffic routes, is being viewed as a game-changer. Unlike fossil fuels, green hydrogen emits only water vapor, making it a sustainable solution to the growing challenges of air pollution and climate change.
The rollout of hydrogen trucks on the Bhubaneswar–Puri–Konark route is expected to begin once the infrastructure is in place. Officials believe that if successful, Odisha could become a hub for green transport innovation in eastern India. The government’s larger plan includes expanding hydrogen mobility across the national highway network, ensuring India leads the way in clean transport technology.
