Bhubaneswar: As part of efforts to promote electric vehicles (EVs) in the state, the Odisha government has stepped up the drive to strengthen public charging infrastructure and network.
Approval has already been granted for setting up 170 EV charging stations in seven major cities of the state under the Centre’s PM E-Drive scheme.
In the second phase, a proposal has been submitted for 290 additional public charging stations across 13 cities and various national and state highways, sources said.
The proposed locations include Raurkela, Talachera, Sambalpur, Paradip, Barbil, Belpahad, Brahmapur, Brajrajnagar, Chhatrapur, Jharsuguda, Joda, Kendujhar and Rajgangpur.
The proposal also includes 68 wayside amenity centres under the Tourism Department, along with important locations along major highways, including the economically significant Paradip–Barbil corridor.
Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) has been appointed as the project implementation agency for the central initiative. Before final approval of the proposed locations, a team of will conduct field surveys to assess their feasibility and operational suitability.
Apart from the Centre-sponsored initiative, the Odisha Commerce and Transport Department is taking steps to establish more than 500 additional EV charging stations across the state.
Of these, 24 charging stations are already operational in Bhubaneswar. The government is also planning to install charging points at important locations, Atal Bus Terminals and truck terminals to improve accessibility for EV users.
It may be noted that financial incentives and subsidies are being provided to encourage consumers to purchase electric vehicles under the Odisha Electric Vehicle Policy.