Himachal Pradesh has commissioned 402 electric vehicle (EV) charging stations as part of its strategy to promote green mobility and cleaner transportation. The northern Indian state also plans to deploy 297 electric buses to modernize its public transport fleet.
The state government announced the initiatives following a recent cabinet meeting that outlined measures to support EV adoption across government departments. The charging stations will primarily be installed at Public Works Department (PWD) rest houses and other government-operated facilities.
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Of the 402 new charging stations, 252 will be located at PWD rest houses and 100 at Forest Department facilities. The remaining stations will be distributed across rest houses under the Jal Shakti department (19), Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board Limited (18), Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent of Police offices (12), and one at the Baddi Barotiwala Nalagarh Development Authority office.
The state aims to establish a comprehensive and accessible charging network to encourage the use of electric vehicles among public departments and the general population. In parallel, Himachal Pradesh has designated six highways as green corridors and is extending charging infrastructure to fuel stations, government sites, and tourism properties.
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The Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC) has partnered with Indian Oil to install charging stations at 65 of its hotels, beginning with an initial rollout at 11 sites. Meanwhile, private hotels in the state already offer 44 EV charging points. An additional 46 charging stations with way-side amenities are planned for government sites.
Himachal Pradesh, home to the hill station Shimla, has registered nearly 5,000 EVs to date. The state has mandated all government departments to incorporate electric vehicles into their fleets and has introduced an e-taxi scheme under which 500 electric taxis have been deployed.
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As part of its public transport transition, Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) has ordered 297 non-AC, 9-metre electric buses from Indian manufacturer Olectra Greentech. The company will supply and maintain the buses under a contract valued at approximately 4.24 billion rupees (around €44 million). Delivery is scheduled to be completed within eleven months.