SDMC seeks cooperation from PWD in installation of EV charging hubs

NEW DELHI: South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC), on Monday, October 4, wrote to the Public Works Department (PWD) to assist them in the installation of electric vehicle charging stations on roads which fall under their jurisdiction. As the mentioned agency removed equipment from Bhikaji Cama Place and Lajpat Nagar on Sunday, SDMC officials were drawn towards the matter.

An SDMC official said that the installation process has been deferred for long now. He further added that Telecommunications Consultants India Limited (TCIL), a public sector undertaking, has been tasked with installing 35 e-charging stations, but reported that they are facing reluctance from PWD in carrying out the needful. “These charging stations have been removed from these two locations and from Lajpat Nagar. The equipment has been confiscated, which indicates a loss of public money. To make electric vehicle policy a success, inter-departmental coordination is needed,” the official added.

However, PWD officials said that the stations were removed because the contractors did not take prior permission for the work. Civic officials argued that roads that are wider than 60 feet were only transferred to PWD for maintenance purposes but the actual ownership of land still falls under the three municipal corporations.

SDMC has planned on installing e-charging stations at 109 locations out of which, installation work for two-wheeler specific modules will be carried out at 35 locations by TCIL, an official said. According to Delhi’s Electric Vehicle policy announced in August this year, the Delhi government aims to achieve 25% battery electric vehicle registration out of the total registrations by 2024.