Maharashtra To Set Up 200 EV Charging Stations Under PPP Model

18 May 2026 CW Team

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.

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.

Technology

29 Jul 2026

AI-Enabled Workflows Lift Profitability and Productivity

Organisations modernising frontline workflows with artificial intelligence, automation and real-time data are reporting stronger financial performance, higher productivity and improved employee engagement, according to a global study by Zebra Technologies and Oxford Economics.The research covered 1,000 senior leaders across retail, manufacturing, transportation and logistics in the US, Mexico, the UK, Germany, India, Japan, Australia and New Zealand.In transportation and logistics, 54 per cent of companies that improved picking and packing operations reported faster operational performance, wh..

Real Estate

29 Jul 2026

India Leads Global AI Readiness but Implementation Lags

Indian companies lead global averages across all eight artificial intelligence readiness indicators tracked by JLL, but only 19 per cent have started making changes to their workplaces, according to the JLL 2026 Future of Work Survey.The study found that 77 per cent of Indian business leaders expect AI to change their office requirements, creating a 58-percentage-point gap between awareness and implementation. The survey covered more than 2,200 CEOs, CFOs and real estate leaders across 21 countries during the first quarter of 2026.Despite concerns over automation, 58 per cent of Indian leaders..

Equipment

29 Jul 2026

Three WOLFF Cranes Build Riyadh Cable-Stayed Bridges

Three WOLFF 180 B luffing jib cranes are supporting the construction of two cable-stayed bridges alongside the existing Wadi Laban Bridge in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The project is being developed for the Royal Commission for Riyadh City and executed by the ICRC joint venture comprising IC Ictas and Al Rashid Trading & Contracting Company.The cranes are handling lifting operations including formwork, reinforcement, concrete placement, work platforms, surveying equipment and other construction materials. Each crane is fitted with a 40 m jib, reaches a hook height of 157 m and offers a maximum ..