Government to set up charging kiosks at petrol pumps

25 Nov 2020 Editorial Team

The central government is planning to establish e-charging kiosks and infrastructure at as many as 69.000 petrol pumps across the nation. The move is aimed at expediting the uptake of electric vehicles.

While addressing a virtual conference, Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari stated that the government has undertaken multiple schemes with the view of encouraging the use of electric vehicles in the country. These steps include reducing the GST to 5% and making room for delinking the battery price of 2-3 wheelers from the cost of the vehicle, an expenditure that nearly accounted for 30% of the total cost.

In a release, the Minister was quoted saying that the battery charging ecosystem is highly important. Acknowledging that fact, the government has laid down plans to set up a minimum of at least one e-charging kiosk for the benefit of electric vehicles at around 69,000 petrol pumps across India. The step is aimed at inducing people to opt for electric mobility, he added.

The minister claimed that the country is all set on its path to become a hub of global automobile manufacturing, and urged the automobile industry to strive towards manufacturing flex engines that possess the versatility to utilise either petrol or ethanol / compressed natural gas (CNG) as fuel.

Infrastructure Transport

29 Oct 2025

Taking Flight!

When Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) on October 8, 2025, it marked far more than the opening of another terminal – it signified a turning point in India’s aviation and infrastructure narrative. Developed by Adani Airport Holdings Ltd (AAHL) in partnership with the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO), NMIA represents a bold vision of how modern India intends to connect its people, power its economy and project its identity on the global stage.“The Navi Mumbai International Airport is a project that exemplifies the visio..

Highway Guidelines 2.0

In August 2025, a Public Accounts Committee comprising members of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha presented a report, ‘Levy and Regulation of Fees, Tariffs, User Charges etc on Public Infrastructure and Other Public Utilities in the context of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).Having examined present design accountability, subcontracting, pavement failures, emergency response mechanisms, toll reforms, service quality, stakeholder consultations and other aspects, the Committee presented recommendations covering the planning a..

Railways approves major upgrade for Telangana traction lines

The Ministry of Railways has approved the upgradation of the electric traction system in two crucial railway sections — Medchal–Mudkhed (225 km) and Mahbubnagar–Dhone (184 km). The projects, costing Rs 1.93 billion and Rs 1.23 billion respectively, will enhance the electric traction capacity from 1X25 KV to 2X25 KV. The work includes modifications to circuit breakers and switching stations, along with the installation of additional conductors. These routes serve as vital links between Northern and Southern India via Hyderabad. Once completed, the upgraded system will reduce voltage dro..