LUCKNOW, June 9 -- The Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) is planning to provide dedicated electric vehicle (EV) charging stations in all its upcoming high-rise housing projects. The proposal aims to address the lack of charging infrastructure in apartment complexes, a problem increasingly faced by EV owners in the city, officials said. LDA vice chairman Prathamesh Kumar told Hindustan Times that the authority is preparing a plan to integrate EV charging facilities into every proposed high-rise project. Under the proposal, dedicated spaces will be earmarked for charging stations, while private firms may be engaged to operate and maintain them. "We are working on a plan to ensure EV charging facilities in all upcoming high-rise projects. Private operators can be involved in managing stations, while residents will get designated spaces to park and charge their vehicles," Kumar said. The initiative follows concerns raised by residents of several private housing societies, where management bodies have objected to or removed charging points installed by individual EV owners. Residents have cited safety concerns and the absence of clear guidelines governing charging facilities in common parking areas and basements. Urban planners and EV users have long pointed to the shortage of charging infrastructure in densely populated residential complexes as a major challenge to wider electric vehicle adoption. The LDA proposal is in line with the government's broader efforts to promote electric mobility. In May, state transport minister Dayashankar Singh directed officials to prepare a proposal to extend road tax and registration fee exemptions for electric and public transport vehicles for another 12 months. Officials said the proposal could make LDA one of the first development authorities in UP to incorporate EV charging infrastructure at the design stage of high-rise housing projects. If implemented, the plan is expected to benefit thousands of future residents....