Electric vehicle policy: Dedicated lanes to be set up for charging stations in Chandigarh

Easy access to the electric vehicle (EV) charging stations across the city is one of the cornerstones of the draft of the electric vehicle policy prepared by the UT administration.

The draft policy has taken final shape and aims to incentivise the installation of the charging stations in residential, commercial and public spaces. EV are battery-operated vehicles.

“The UT administration aims to register only EV in the city after 2030. To make it a realistic goal, the drafters of policy realised that the project cannot succeed unless there is an adequate provision of EV charging stations in the city,” said a senior official of the UT transport department, which has prepared the draft.

“The UT has put in several incentives for establishment of charging stations across the city,” said the official. The policy targets at the installation of 1,000 public EV chargers by 2030.

“The UT administration will build dedicated lanes for EV charging in every sector of the city. The installation of the charging spots will be made mandatory in commercial buildings such as hotels, malls and technology parks,” said UT adviser Manoj Kumar Parida.

‘30% subsidy for residential users’

“For residential users, the UT will give a subsidy of 30% on installation of home chargers. Already, the Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission (JERC) has fixed ₹4 per unit and ₹100 as a fixed monthly charge on electricity bill of EV charging stations,” said Parida.

Amendments will be made to the UT building laws, known for their restricting impact on the growth of new infrastructure in the city, to ensure the charging infrastructure is integrated at the planning stage for new constructions.

Also,15% subsidy for charging infrastructure companies will be another incentive so that more and more such companies come forward for installing charging stations at the public spaces.

Reserved parking

Tapping into the severe parking problems faced by the residents, the UT administration will be giving added incentives to car owners to shift to electric vehicles.

Parida said, “In all the government-owned parking spaces, dedicated free parking slots will be reserved for EVs. All the commercial buildings, education institutions and RWAs will be required to have reserved parking space for EVs with charging facilities.”

In addition to it, there will be 30% dedicated parking space for EVs in the new public parking lots.

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The policy aims for public transport

To have all-electric fleet of public buses by 2027.

To have all-electric government fleet by 2025.

To have all-electric rickshaws, corporate fleets, cabs and school vehicles on road by 2030.

OTHER INCENTIVES

Direct subsidy of ₹20,000 for buyers of electric two and three-wheelers.

100% exemption in road tax and registration charges up to 2024 on EV purchases.

Free insurance (for first 1,000 EV buyers in the city) for one year.

FINAL DRAFT Aims to incentivise the installation of the charging stations in residential, commercial and public spaces;targets at the installation of 1,000 public EV chargers by 2030