The Maharashtra government has sanctioned the development of eight electric vehicle (EV) charging stations on the Pune-Mumbai Expressway to support the growing adoption of EVs across the state. The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) will lead the project, beginning with a survey to determine suitable locations. The stations will be designed to accommodate the simultaneous charging of several EVs. Maharashtra is a major EV market in India, with over 5.58 lakh EVs registered, as revealed by data from the Vahan portal of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. The Pune-Mumbai Expressway, which sees around 1.4 lakh vehicles daily, currently lacks adequate charging infrastructure. To further promote EVs, the state government offers toll exemptions for EVs on key routes like the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, Samruddhi Mahamarg, and Atal Setu. This is part of a broader plan to advance sustainable transportation and foster carbon-neutral highways. There are existing issues with the operational reliability of current charging points, which highlights the need for improved infrastructure.
