NHAI to set up EV charging stations along national highways in India

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) plans to set up EV charging stations to help boost India's electric vehicle infrastructure in recent years. This plan is a part of real estate development along the national highways in the country. According to the reports, NHAI identified over 650 properties in 22 states, with a combined area of 3,000 hectares to develop the highways infrastructure. NHAI will collaborate with the private sector in the coming five years to undertake the development project. About 94 sites along the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, 376 along the under-construction highways and expressways, and almost 180 sites along existing highways are identified. NHAI has already floated tenders for 138 sites out of the total 650 identified sites. It has already received many responses from private bodies to help in the development of the project. Installing the EV charging stations along the national highways will greatly help the Indian electric vehicle owners, who are concerned about the limitations of using battery-powered cars to travel a long distance. Currently, there are very few EV charging stations along the highways for EV owners. Setting up EV charging stations is likely to help boost electric vehicle culture in the country. Minister Nitin Gadkari said India would be the biggest manufacturing electric vehicles hub in the world very soon. India aims for electric vehicles consisting of 70% of commercial cars, 30% of private cars, 40% of buses, and 80% of two-wheelers and three-wheelers by the end of the decade. To achieve this goal, India will need a network of around 3 million public EV charging stations by the next nine years. The government is focusing on providing world-class services and infrastructure for the highway network and expects to get good returns. Besides EV charging stations, NHAI plans commercial spaces along the national highways such as restaurants, food courts, and retail outlets to boost the economy. Image Source Also read: Real estate along highways to generate over 15% returns: JLL Also read: India's first green and safe highway to be developed in Rajasthan