Chandigarh to take another month to power up EV stations

Dushyant Singh Pundir

Chandigarh, March 30

The UT Administration is all set to miss the deadline to make electric vehicle (EV) charging stations functional by the end of March.

During a press conference on March 8, Purohit had stated that all 53 charging stations would be made functional by the end of March. However, it is likely to take nearly a month to complete the work after equipment were stolen from the installed charging stations.

As per officials of Chandigarh Renewable Energy and Science and Technology Promotion Society (CREST), three companies were allotted the work to install 53 charging stations. Two companies have completed the installation work of nearly 40 charging stations, but one company is yet to start the work. Moreover, the companies are likely to take nearly a month to replace the equipment stolen from the charging stations.

Over a period of time, thieves stole costly equipment from the unguarded EV charging stations across the city. The first FIR pertained to thefts at charging stations at New Lake and Garden of Palms in Sector 42. The case was solved on March 21 with the arrest of two scrap dealers who had bought the stolen equipment from five juveniles. Later, the authorities directed the companies to install CCTV cameras and hire security guards to keep a watch on the equipment at the charging stations. The UT Administration had notified the EV Policy on September 20, 2022, but the city’s infrastructure is still not ready for the electric vehicles. As many as 23 charging stations were installed at nine locations across the city in November 2022. These stations have a total of 92 charging guns and an equal number of vehicles can be charged simultaneously.

An official of the CREST, the nodal agency for the implementation of the EV Policy in UT, said the work on the installation of 44 more charging stations under the “Chandigarh developer mode” at various locations was underway and such stations had been installed at various places, including the multilevel parking in Sector 17, the parking lot at the Elante mall, the parking area of the Mani Majra car bazaar, Madhya Marg in Sector 26 and the parking lot of the Sector 44-D market.

Due to an impasse between the local MC and the UT Administration over the installation of charging stations in parking lots, charging stations are yet to be made operational. During a House meeting, the MC had refused to allow installation of EV charging stations in the parking lots under it. However, it agreed to the proposal of the Administration later.

One of 3 firms yet to start work

As per officials of Chandigarh Renewable Energy and Science and Technology Promotion Society (CREST), three companies were allotted the work to install 53 charging stations. Two companies have completed the installation work of about 40 charging stations, but one company is yet to start the work. Moreover, the companies are likely to take nearly a month to replace the equipment stolen from the charging stations.

On target of miscreants

Over a period of time, thieves stole costly equipment from the unguarded EV charging stations across the city. The first FIR pertained to thefts at charging stations at New Lake and Garden of Palms in Sector 42. The case was solved on March 21 with the arrest of two scrap dealers who had bought the stolen equipment from five juveniles.