Chandigarh: Year on, seven electric vehicle charging stations made functional

Dushyant Singh Pundir

Chandigarh, June 10

After the delay of nearly one and a half years, seven electric vehicle (EV) charging stations are all set become functional in the city.

With regard to mode of payment at these stations, officials of the Chandigarh Renewable Energy and Science and Technology Promotion Society (CREST) said the charging stations had been made functional and handed over to a company. It was the responsibility of the operating agency how it collected fee. They, however, stated that the system to charge fee was being installed and would be ready by tomorrow.

Officials cite various approvals for delay

According to the CREST officials, seven charging stations, including those in Sectors 44-C, 44-D, 43-B, 7, Mani Majra and Lake Sport Club, have been supplied with power. The remaining stations would be made operational in a phased manner. The main reasons for the delay in making the charging stations functional was time taken in getting approvals from various departments, they added.

The UT Administration had missed two deadlines for making EV charging stations operational.

On March 8, UT Administrator Banwarilal Purohit had stated that all 53 charging stations would be made functional by the end of March. Later, the authorities had assured that the stations would be made operational by the April-end. While seven charging stations have been made functional so far, the remaining 15-20 would be operational by the end of June.

According to the CREST officials, seven charging stations, including those in Sectors 44-C, 44-D, 43-B, 7, Mani Majra and Lake Sport Club, have been supplied with power. The remaining stations would be made operational in a phased manner. The main reasons for the delay in making the charging stations functional was time taken in getting approvals from various departments, they added. An impasse between the local Municipal Corporation and the UT Administration over the installation of charging stations in parking lots had earlier delayed the operation of the charging units.

The officials said 20 charging stations had already been installed and made operational in private sector and three petrol pumps also had the facility. Nearly 8,000 electric vehicles have been registered in the city so far.