PMC sets up e-charging stations at 15 locations

PMC has set up 15 of 86 e-charging stations, planned under first phase, at locations across the city

Pune: After the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) in December 2022 announced that it would set up e-charging stations at 500 locations across the city, tenders have recently been floated for the first phase of setting up 86 out of these 500 e-charging stations. Whereas 15 out of the 86 e-charging stations have already been set up at strategic locations.

PMC has set up 15 of 86 e-charging stations, planned under first phase, at locations across the city. ((PIC FOR REPRESENTATION))

According to the PMC electrical department, e-charging stations have been set up at 15 places including Savarkar Bhavan, Ganesh Kala and Sports Centre, Bibwewadi ward office, P L Deshpande Udyan, Ghole Road ward office, Tilak Road ward office, Peshwa Park, Gultekdi Parking, Navloba Parking, and the PMC main building. Each e-charging station has charging points for two two-wheelers and one four-wheeler. Citizens have to pay online to avail the e-charging facility. Both fast charging and slow charging options are available.

Due to increasing pollution and the rising prices of petrol, diesel and now even CNG, citizens are increasingly opting for e-vehicles. The PMC too has drafted a policy on e-vehicles according to which, PMC has to set up the necessary infrastructure for these vehicles in the city. According to Pune Regional Transport Office (RTO) statistics, there are over 80,000 e-vehicles of various kinds being used across Pune. Between October 24 and November 10, nearly 22,000 e-vehicles were sold in Pune city, cars and two-wheelers constituting a larger share of these e-vehicles than other categories.

Shrinivas Kandul, chief engineer of the electrical department of the PMC, said, “The number of e-buses is being increased in the transport system. It has been decided to purchase e-cars for officials and office-bearers of the PMC, and implementation of the same has started. In the first phase, the tender process for 86 e-charging stations has been completed. A charging station will have two points. At present, we have set up charging stations at PMC’s parking lots, gardens and ward offices; PMC-run auditoriums and theatres etc. Gradually, we will increase charging station numbers in the city as per the available places.”

Ajay Wayse, executive engineer of the PMC project department, said, “The PMC has 30 parking lots in different parts of the city. The electrical department approached us to provide space for the e-charging stations. We have given permission and allocated space for charging stations in the parking lots. After installation of charging stations, people will prefer to park their vehicles in the PMC parking lots as they will get additional facilities of charging.”