West Bengal Aims for 1000 E-Charging Stations in Next 2 Years

The West Bengal government said that it plans to install 1,000 EV charging stations within the next two years to promote the use of more environmentally friendly cars. 

According to S Suresh Kumar, Additional Chief Secretary of Power, West Bengal, “People aren’t purchasing EVs because of their expensive price and lack of charging infrastructure. We have teamed up with a private organization to bring the EV Expo to Kolkata to raise awareness and help clear up any confusion people may have about electric vehicles. 1000 charging stations are what we aim to install over the following two years. The government ought to handle the backend as it does with power while oil corporations are in charge of setting up the front ends for pricing.” A press conference was organised by Kumar to announce the upcoming 16th EV EXPO and EV Rally in Kolkata. The EV Expo will take place over three days starting on December 9, with over 100 Indian and international exhibitors, including Hyundai, Tata Motors, and Exide Industries, displaying their goods. On December 10, the West Bengal government will host an EV Rally in collaboration with EV Expo.

720 EV drivers and over 3300 EV passengers are expected to attend the rally. Anuj Sharma, President of the Electric Vehicle Federation, stated that discussions were held with the state government about establishing an industrial development zone similar to EV Park that would bring together producers of different EV accessories and parts.

On four-lane highways, the government intends to install one charging station every 25 kilometers, and in urban areas, one station every three square kilometers. 

Earlier, the West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd. (WBSEDCL) announced that it was seeking a public-private partnership (PPP) to build EV charging stations to increase e-mobility in the region. According to the report, 205 charging or battery-swapping stations for various car types were being built by the state-run utility, which is looking for bids from interested operators.