NHAI plans to set up several EV charging stations along national highways
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has announced that it is planning to set up numerous EV charging stations that will help in enhancing electric vehicle infrastructure in India in the coming days. The plan is part of real estate development along the national highways across the country.
As per the reports, the NHAI has recognized more than 650 properties across 22 states with a combined area of over 3,000 hectares to develop highways infrastructure. NHAI will team up with the private sector in the next five years to commence the development programme.
As many as 94 sites have been recognized along the upcoming Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, 376 sites along new highways and expressways under construction, and around 180 sites along with a prevailing network of highways across the country.
NHAI has already requested bids for 138 sites out of the 650 sites identified. It has already established several responses from private entities to help them in this development project.
Installing EV charging stations along the national highways will massively help electric vehicle owners in India who often raise concerns about the limitations of using battery-powered cars for long-distance travel. At present, there are too few EV charging stations along the highways to gratify the needs of EV owners.
Setting up EV charging stations along national highways is also likely to help to enhance electric vehicle culture in the country.
Union minister Nitin Gadkari recently said that India will soon be the biggest manufacturing hub of electric vehicles in the world. India aims for 70 percent of all commercial cars, 30 percent of private cars, 40 percent of buses, and 80 percent of two-wheelers and three-wheelers to be electric by the end of the decade.
To achieve this target, India would need a network of nearly 3 million public EV charging stations in the next nine years.
The government's focus on providing world-class infrastructure and related services for the highway network is expected to get good returns as well. Besides EV charging stations, NHAI also plans commercial spaces like restaurants, food courts, retail outlets, along national highways to boost infrastructure.
