Nagpur: Union minister Nitin Gadkari on Sunday said Tata Motors has expressed interest in establishing a hydrogen-powered bus project in Nagpur, a move that could accelerate the city’s transition towards clean public transport. Speaking at the gratitude ceremony for Advantage Vidarbha 2026 on Sunday, organised by the Association for Industrial Development (AID), Gadkari informed discussions are currently under way to identify suitable land for the proposed facility.“Tata Motors has approached us with a proposal for a hydrogen bus project. We are currently looking for land for the plant,” Gadkari said. He added that the proposed facility would complement Tata’s upcoming electric vehicle fast-charging infrastructure in Nagpur.He suggested the city should host more than 40 business conventions annually. Conferences on sectors ranging from cement and plastics to manufacturing and emerging industries, he said, would attract thousands of delegates from across the country, creating business opportunities.Gadkari said the region’s vast coal reserves can play a key role in reducing India’s dependence on imported fossil fuels through coal gasification. He noted that while Western Coalfields Limited (WCL) currently has mining permission only up to a depth of 500 metres and much of the available coal is of relatively low quality, three coal gasification projects are proposed, which will enable the extraction of coal bed methane (CBM) from mines in Chandrapur and Gadchiroli. The gas can then be processed into CNG for commercial use. On infrastructure, Gadkari said he has approved an additional 450 crore for the National Highways Authority of India in order to improve flyover connectivity to Nagpur airport.Highlighting sustainable tourism, Gadkari said the govt is also working on converting safari vehicles in Vidarbha’s tiger reserves to electric vehicles. He revealed that the district administration and MSME department are preparing a scheme, while the first order for 300 EV chassis is already in the pipeline, with two major automobile firms competing for the project.
