New Delhi, Oct. 4 -- The Delhi government is set to begin the rollout of a new electric vehicle charging network after the Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI) approved 382 sites across the national capital, Power Minister Ashish Sood said on Sunday.
The Revenue Department and Delhi Transport Corporation had initially identified 456 locations for charging infrastructure, of which 382 have now received approval from the MHI. The government is preparing to float a tender for the first tranche comprising 160 to 180 sites considered ready for implementation.
Sood said all the approved locations were reassessed over the past three months following the Delhi EV Policy, notified on June 30. The exercise categorised sites according to the requirements of electric two-wheelers, three-wheelers and four-wheelers, with the aim of creating a charging network capable of meeting the capital's future demand.
The reassessment also took into account upcoming mandatory electric vehicle registration targets under the policy. From January 1, 2027, all new registrations of three-wheelers and N1 light commercial vehicles are scheduled to be electric, while the 100 per cent electric registration requirement for two-wheelers will come into effect from April 1, 2028.
The minister said the government has appointed KPMG as the Project Management Unit (PMU) and completed the comprehensive site-level assessment.
Sood said the focus of the exercise was on ensuring that charging stations are supported by adequate power availability and grid feasibility, rather than simply increasing the number of charging points.
"The success of an EV ecosystem should not be measured merely by the number of financial incentives disbursed, but by the structural transformation of charging infrastructure on the ground," he said.
He added that the government was prioritising segment-specific charging nodes so that electric vehicle users have access to suitable infrastructure across the city.
"By prioritising power availability, grid feasibility and segment-specific charging nodes, we are ensuring that when citizens transition to electric two-wheelers, three-wheelers and commercial vehicles, they are backed by world-class infrastructure across the capital," Sood said.
The minister said the government's work over the last quarter had focused on establishing infrastructure that could support the targets set under the Delhi EV Policy 2026.
"Delhi's primary focus over the last quarter has been to lay a sustainable, future-ready infrastructure foundation that directly aligns with the bold deadlines set under the Delhi EV Policy 2026," he said.
Sood said reliable charging infrastructure would also be critical to encouraging wider adoption of electric vehicles.
"A true EV revolution cannot rely solely on short-term financial payouts; it requires robust, reliable and segment-specific charging infrastructure that eliminates range anxiety for everyday citizens," he added.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.