Administration seeks MC’s reply on e-vehicle charging stations

CHANDIGARH: As the Centre has sought report from the administration on electric vehicle charging stations in city, the administration has now sought MC’s reply on the issue. The centre had sought report under their plans to promote hybrid and electric vehicles in the country.

A senior UT official said the Chandigarh municipal corporation has already installed charging stations at various parking lots in the city therefore the administration has sought MC’s reply on the issue. After its reply, they will send the report to the Centre, he added.

The Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission (JERC) is yet to approve power tariff plan for electric vehicle charging stations in the city. The MC had permitted a company to install these charging stations.

Recently, the UT electricity department in its power tariff petition submitted before the JERC had even proposed a power tariff plan for electric vehicle charging stations. The department had proposed charging Rs 5 per unit in the slab of 0-150 units; Rs 5.30 and Rs 5.60 per unit in 151-400 units and above 400 units, respectively.

The power tariff proposed for electric vehicle charging stations are higher as compared to domestic category but equivalent to power tariff of commercial category. The administration is already working on promoting hybrid and electric vehicles. Last year, a team of transport department had visited Nagpur to study charging stations set up in different parts of the city. Nagpur was the first city in the country to have electric vehicle charging stations in place.

Chandigarh has the highest density of vehicles in India with around 12 lakh registered vehicles, including both two-wheeler and four-wheeler. The number of vehicles per house on an average is two and has led to a sharp deterioration in the air quality.

To cut down pollution level, Chandigarh Transport Undertaking (CTU) will induct electric buses in its fleet. The ministry of urban development has given a green signal to CTU to purchase 20 buses in the first phase. One bus will cost around Rs 5 crore and the central government has agreed to fund 60% cost of these electric buses. At present, around 3,000 e-rickshaws are plying in the city.

First station at Sector 42 New Lake

Though the MC has installed these charging stations in different parking lots, the administration has planned to set up government’s first charging station for electric vehicles at New Lake, Sector 42. As per plan, the Chandigarh Renewal Energy, Science and Technology Promotion Society, the nodal agency to install solar plants in Chandigarh, has planned to install 800 KW solar plant at New Lake. Of these 800 KW, the administration will use 90 KW, for charging station. After Sector 42’s charging station, the UT will implement the same project in markets of Sector 15, 17 and 19. The 90 KW charging station can charge around 65 cars a day.

Source: timesofindia.indiatimes