The Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC) has written a letter to distribution licensees in the city asking them to implement necessary safety measures before providing power to newly installed electric vehicle (EV) charging stations.

In a letter addressed to the New Delhi Municipal Council, Tata Power Delhi Distribution Limited (TPDDL), BSES Rajdhani Power Limited (BRPL), and BSES Yamuna Power Limited (BYPL), the DERC said that it has noticed charging stations being installed in the basements of commercial complexes close to a large number of batteries stored for battery swapping purposes.

It directed the distribution companies (DISCOMs) to take all necessary safety precautions to avoid any fire accidents for these installations before providing them with power. The DERC said that the distribution licensee may also provide guidance to the owners or occupiers of these charging stations during their field inspection on how to take necessary safety measures.

Last year, Delhi cut down the rates of charging stations for e-rickshaws and other electric vehicles. This has further incentivized the pace of EV adoption process, which in turn is likely to push consumers toward electric mobility.

Recently, facilitating the adoption of e-mobility in the national capital, the Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) to establish the infrastructure for electric vehicles in the SDMC area for ten years.

According to the terms outlined in the MoU, the two entities will work in tandem to fast-track the adoption of e-mobility by installing 75 electric vehicle charging stations in the SDMC area.

Earlier, Delhi’s DISCOM BSES announced signing a memorandum of understanding (MoUs) with Ola Electric to set up battery swapping and charging stations in parts of New Delhi in a move to boost electric vehicle adoption in the national capital.

In November of 2018, the Delhi Electric Vehicle Policy was launched to improve Delhi’s air quality by reducing emissions in the transport sector.

Meanwhile, MG Motor India has announced its partnership with eChargeBays, a Delhi-based startup, to assist its customers in setting up infrastructure at their homes for charging their electric vehicles.