The Odisha government has put forward a proposal to the Central Government for the development of 290 additional public electric vehicle (EV) charging stations, which will span 13 new major cities in the state.
In a bid to encourage the adoption of electric vehicles and improve charging facilities, the state is implementing various initiatives under the guidance of Commerce and Transport Minister Bibhuti Bhusan Jena.
Moreover, the Central Government has prioritized the enhancement of EV charging infrastructure in Odisha through the ‘PM E-DRIVE’ scheme. Initially, the government approved the installation of 170 charging stations in seven major cities during the first phase. Now, in the second phase, the proposal for 290 new charging stations is being submitted, targeting 13 additional cities.
The cities slated for these new installations include Rourkela, Talcher, Sambalpur, Paradip, Barbil, Belpahada, Brahmapur, Brajarajnagar, Chhatrapur, Jharsuguda, Joda, Kendujhar, and Rajgangpur, along with various national and state highways.
Among the proposed locations, 68 will be situated at ‘Wayside Amenity Centers’ managed by the Tourism Department, with significant sites along highways, particularly the Paradip-Badabil corridor, which is deemed economically vital.
Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) has been appointed as the project implementation agency to oversee the execution of this central initiative. Prior to the final approval of the proposed sites, an expert team led by J.K. Pattnaik, General Manager at BHEL, will perform field surveys to evaluate the feasibility of these locations.
In addition to the central initiatives, the State Commerce and Transport Department plans to establish over 500 more EV charging stations, of which 24 are already functional in the capital city of Bhubaneswar. The government is ensuring that these charging points are conveniently located in key areas, including ‘Atal’ bus terminals and truck terminals.
This comprehensive expansion of charging infrastructure is designed to address the challenges faced by EV users regarding access to charging options and to promote a smoother transition to a sustainable, green transportation system. Furthermore, as part of the ‘Electric Vehicle Policy’, financial incentives are being offered to consumers to promote electric vehicle purchases.
