The Uttar Pradesh government invites expressions of interests (EoIs) from various companies to set up charging stations for electric vehicles. It becomes the first state government to do so after the Union power Ministry in December last year issued a guideline to create the infrastructure that will enable widespread use of the less polluting automobiles.
As of now, Delhi is probably the only city having this facility. With an intent to reduce emission intensity and curb pollution in the country, the Central government has been trying to boost the use of electric vehicles in the country. By ensuring safe, reliable, accessible and affordable electric charging infrastructure, the centre intends to encourage states to adopt electric vehicles.
According to the EoI document issued by the UP government, the state has identified eight cities, namely, Lucknow, Kanpur, Varanasi, Agra, Noida, Prayagraj, Ghaziabad and Meerut, where companies would be able to set up these charging points.
Furthermore, the state also wants to make such charging stations available on the Agra-Lucknow Expressway, the Delhi-Agra Expressway and the Eastern Peripheral Expressway, as well as the proposed Purvanchal Expressway from Lucknow to Ballia that’s under construction.
Three major national highways passing through the state, NH-1, 24 and 27, have also been identified for this. Moreover, charging at homes or offices will be permitted through electricity distribution companies, the EoI said.
According to the EoI, “The vast infrastructure and utilities needed to charge electric vehicles (EVs) hold the keys to accelerating their deployment. The setting up of electricity charging infrastructure can accelerate the growth of electric vehicles and thus address the menacing problem of air and noise pollution.”
Apart from aiming at the green environment by encouraging electric vehicles, the state government’ idea is also to generate employment and income opportunities for small entrepreneurs.
Going by the central government’s plans Uttar Pradesh is also intending to make this venture a de-licensed one. Any individual or entity be allowed to establish these public charging stations (PCS), provided that they meet technical and performance standards and protocols laid down by the power ministry.
With an ambition to curb pollution the Modi led BJP government had announced that it will provide up to Rs 1.05 billion in grant funding to Smart Cities for the purchase of electric vehicles to be used for mass transportation under a pilot project run under the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid and) Electric Vehicles in India (FAME) program.
Moreover, the government had also declared to provide funds to set up charging infrastructure in the selected cities with an upper ceiling of ₹150 million per city.
