Solar-Powered Electric Highways to Become Reality

To accelerate India’s transition to electric vehicles, the government plans to construct solar-powered electric highways that will allow buses and heavy-duty trucks to be charged. At a gathering hosted by the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce (IACC), Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari reaffirmed the government’s plans to give India’s public transportation system an electric boost.

The government actively promotes solar and wind energy-based charging systems for electric vehicles. To enable the charging of large trucks and buses while they are in motion, Gadkari claimed that his team is also developing solar-powered electric roadways.

Nitin Gadkari continued by saying that the government is also promoting toll booths to use solar electricity. The road ministry has created a fresh alignment and performed route optimization operations along important arteries. Gadkari stressed the need for a well-developed infrastructure, saying, “We are building 26 greenfield expressways.” 

He added that “The PM Gati Shakti Master Plan would help projects get through the approval process more quickly and save logistical expenses. The minister welcomed US private companies to invest in India’s logistics, ropeways, and cable car industries, saying that both India and the US are ideal partners.”

Further, Nitin Gadkari said, “The government is implementing tree plantation procedures when building and expanding motorways, adding that approximately 3 crore trees would be planted beside the nation’s highways (solar-powered electric highways). As per policy, agencies like the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) will have to maintain a tree bank account for planting trees during the project development. And to date, we have successfully transplanted 27,000 trees in national highways projects.”

These days, the Indian Government is actively working on the EV sector also. Recently, the environment ministry announced new Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022, establishing responsibilities of producers, dealers, consumers, and entities involved in the collection, segregation, transportation, refurbishment, and recycling of all types of batteries, including rechargeable Lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles. Along with it, A new EV policy announced by the Union Territory of Ladakh comes with a wide range of subsidies. Additionally, The Chhattisgarh & Haryana government approved its electric vehicle (EV) policy also.