The Maharashtra government and the State Transport Corporation will set up 200 electric vehicle charging stations across the state under a public-private partnership model as part of a roadmap to convert the entire State Transport bus fleet to electric buses by 2035, Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik said. The initiative is intended to build charging infrastructure capable of supporting nearly 20,000 electric buses over the coming years. The plan was outlined at a review meeting held at the Mantralaya.

Charging stations will be developed on available MSRTC land parcels, with private developers allotted designated plots for construction and operation, Sarnaik said. Under the proposed arrangement, developers will receive about 1,500 square feet of space on lease at each site and will be permitted to offer charging services to private electric vehicles during hours when State Transport buses are not using the facilities. The model aims to balance public service needs with commercial viability.

The transport minister indicated that the arrangement is expected to help MSRTC access charging facilities at affordable rates while generating revenue through lease rentals and a share in profits earned from private charging operations. The tendering process for the PPP project will begin in the next few days, according to officials, and the government views the move as a step towards making the state-run corporation self-reliant in adopting environment-friendly buses. The scheme is presented as part of wider efforts to reduce emissions and modernise the fleet.

The review meeting was attended by MSRTC Vice Chairman and Managing Director Dr Madhav Kusekar, Financial Advisor Girish Deshmukh and other senior officials who discussed operational and commercial aspects of the rollout. Developers will be responsible for construction, day-to-day management and maintenance of charging hubs, while MSRTC will retain oversight and regulatory control of sites on its land. Officials indicated that allowing private vehicles to use the chargers during non-operational hours will improve utilisation and support the commercial case for investors.