AHMEDABAD, September 27: India’s first LNG-diesel dual-fuel train was flagged off from Sabarmati Railway Station on Sunday as railway projects worth ₹1,472 crore were inaugurated or launched in and around Ahmedabad.
The train uses a dual-fuel system that allows its Driving Power Cars to operate on both liquefied natural gas and diesel. Two 1,400 HP Driving Power Cars at the Sabarmati Integrated Coaching Depot have been converted for the system, with LNG capable of replacing around 40 per cent of diesel consumption. More than 2,000 km of field trials were completed before the launch.
The railway works launched at the event also include a ₹700 crore WAG-12 locomotive maintenance shed at Sabarmati and the introduction of the Kavach train-protection system on the Sabarmati-Kalol-Sabarmati section at a cost of ₹48 crore. Work has also begun on Kavach installation along the Ahmedabad-Palanpur and Ahmedabad-Samakhiali sections and on doubling the Sabarmati-Sarkhej railway line.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who flagged off the LNG train and inaugurated the projects, said the investments cover railway safety, passenger amenities and environmental measures. Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel was also present at the programme.
The WAG-12 maintenance facility will cater to the Railways’ 12,000-horsepower twin-section electric freight locomotives. Shah said a single WAG-12 can haul freight equivalent to nearly 600 trucks and perform work that earlier required two locomotives.
The LNG train represents another step by Indian Railways towards reducing diesel use in operations. Trial-based estimates cited by Railway officials suggest the dual-fuel system could save around ₹11.9 lakh annually per Driving Power Car and about ₹23.9 lakh for an eight-coach rake, while also reducing emissions.
The launch comes as Indian Railways nears complete electrification of its Broad Gauge network. About 99.6 per cent of the Broad Gauge network has been electrified, while diesel consumption for railway traction fell from 293 crore litres in 2015-16 to 108 crore litres in 2024-25, according to Railway Ministry data.
The ₹1,472 crore programme brings together alternative-fuel technology, locomotive maintenance, train-protection systems and line-capacity expansion, with Sabarmati at the centre of the latest railway investments in Gujarat.
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