Nagpur: Anticipating vibrant growth in the number of e-vehicles on city roads, Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) is getting ready for the change as it plans rollout of charging infrastructure. As of now, 11 sites have been identified across the city to set up public charging stations (PCS) on a public-private partnership model.
The same is in line with policy adopted by Maharashtra Government under its Electric Vehicle Policy, 2021, that encourages urban local bodies to set up public charging infrastructure within their areas of jurisdiction. Confirming the development, Rajendra Rathod, Executive Engineer, Electric Department, NMC, said that the change on the ground is quite visible and also, in sales figures of e-vehicles. The Government has also taken steps to promote e-vehicles as part of its commitment to address the challenge of climate change. Therefore, the civic body aims to tackle the issues that can ensure that emission of greenhouse gases is reduced.
Gold Rate
Wednesday March 2025
Vehicle emission is one of the prime reasons for causing damage to the ozone layer as it releases carbon monoxide. In light of this, the NMC has visualised growing usage of electric vehicles and to ensure easier adaptability, it has decided to plug the gap in mobility by ensuring a sufficient number of charging points. Since many people are now preferring e-vehicles, in case they move out and want to charge their batteries, these PCS could come handy.
While NMC envisages day time working of such stations, it has also kept the option of overnight working depending upon the operator’s preference and necessary infrastructure in place. Rathod felt that, though usage of e-vehicle is at present low, but NMC policy is meant for next 10-years by which time every second vehicle on road could be non-polluting one. Thus, the PCS operation is bound to witness sharp growth. Even the sites that the civic body has identified are such that are used as public parking places, like the one on Central Bazaar Road, and one in wholesale market areas. Since people coming to these places keep their vehicles parked for long hours, in future, with the proliferation of e-vehicles, they are bound to use the PCS to top up their batteries.
The sites that are chosen for the first phase of PCS are Jaitala Bazaar Square (Orange Street) where 4 slots would be possible. Then Rahate Colony Square (Near PKV Land) 4 slots, Dayanand Park 2 slots, Police Motor Transport section, Katol Road (2 slots), Parking Area, adjoining Yashwant Stadium 4 slots, Wadi Naka, Amravati Road (4 slots), Futala Lake, near Police Outpost (4 slots), Budhwari Bazaar, Sakkardara, near Water Tank (4 slots), Shanti Nagar Main Road (2 slots), behind Anjuman College, Mangalwari Complex (4 slots), Parking Lot opposite Tuli Imperial Hotel on Central Bazaar Road, New Ramdaspeth (4 slots).
Rathod further stated that they have fixed a rental for each of the sites, which the bidder is expected to take into consideration and then put incharges for the consumers. NMC planning is as per Government’s own commitment to achieve net-zero status as to greenhouse gas emission by year 2070 that was decided at COP 26 conference. In the run-up to that, by 2030, a target has been set for 45 per cent reduction compared to 2005 level and hence, cities would see proliferation of e-vehicles.
Already, in the two-wheeler segment, the e-vehicle trend is visible and is slowly catching up in 4-wheelers also, and hence, NMC is betting big on PCS to break even in the next few years. This is so as, already, steps are being taken at Government level to decarbonise the transport sector wherein public transport has seen induction of e-vehicles on massive scale. Another reason for going ahead with PCS is the country’s solidarity of the global EV30@30 pledge. It aims to have 30% electric vehicle (EV) market share among new vehicle registrations by 2030.
