Indian Railways has operationalised the nation's first liquefied natural gas (LNG)–diesel dual-fuel Diesel Electric Multiple Unit (DEMU) train at Sabarmati, Ahmedabad, after integration of cryogenic systems supplied by INOX India Limited (INOXCVA). The company provided 2,200-litre LNG receiving, storage and regasification systems for integration into 1,400 HP driving power cars (DPUs) of Dual-Fuel DEMU trains. The deployment is described as a historic milestone in advancing low-emission rail mobility and supporting cleaner energy adoption across short- and medium-distance routes.

The systems are engineered to enable seamless switching and concurrent use of LNG and diesel, allowing Indian Railways to substitute up to 40 per cent of diesel with LNG and to improve fuel efficiency. The technology is expected to lower greenhouse gas emissions and to enhance operational efficiency for DEMU services widely used on regional hauls. INOXCVA remains the only technology provider in the country to have delivered, tested and validated such cryogenic LNG systems for rail applications.

The dual-fuel initiative was conceived by the Alternative Fuels Division of Indian Railways to convert an initial batch of 10 driving power units from standalone diesel engines to a hybrid dual-fuel configuration. INOXCVA had earlier delivered two units that underwent extensive trials and certifications at the Sabarmati Division and met the required performance parameters. Following the successful validation, Indian Railways is preparing to induct further units and INOXCVA is positioned to fulfil contractual deliveries.

The LNG fuel tank system was delivered through CLH Gaseous Fuel Applications Pvt. Ltd, which also carried out the engine conversions to enable dual-fuel operation. Plans are under way to double on-board LNG capacity so that the trains can undertake longer distances beyond current shorter hauls. INOXCVA operates across India, Brazil and Europe and serves customers in more than 100 countries with after-sales support in 25 countries, and continues to develop cryogenic turnkey packaged systems to support India’s clean mobility goals.