Maharashtra to make highways EV ready by 2025

It has been proposed that starting April 2022, all new government vehicles will be electric

About 10 per cent of newly registered vehicles in major cities of Maharashtra will be electric by 2025, the government said on Thursday. The state plans to set up infrastructure along four highways and expressways to facilitate the smooth movement of electric vehicles.

"The draft Electric Vehicles policy 2021 is currently awaiting a final nod from the state cabinet. Though the transport department has consulted with stakeholders, they are open to suggestions from the public," Ashish Kumar Singh, additional chief secretary (transport), who heads the committee drafting the new EV policy, said at an online seminar.

The event was organised by Climate Voices - a collective of Purpose, Asar and Climate Trends along with the Maharashtra Environment and Climate Change Department's Majhi Vasundhara initiative, hosted by the non-profit Waatavaran Foundation & WRI India Ross Centre for Sustainable Cities.

"The state intends on making four highways and expressways fully EV ready by 2025. These include the under-construction Mumbai Nagpur Expressway, Mumbai Pune Express Highway, Mumbai-Nashik, and Nashik Pune," said Dr. Avinash Dhakne, Transport Commissioner, Maharashtra.

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