The Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA) has issued an expression of interest (EoI) to set up charging stations for electric vehicles (EVs) in cities, highways, and expressways across the state.

The last date for submission of the EoI has been set for June 28, 2019.

The Uttar Pradesh Department of Energy had issued a circular earlier, nominating UPEIDA as the nodal agency for the development of electric vehicle charging infrastructure in the state.

The objective of floating the EoI is essentially to gauge the market interest from the stakeholders to formulate an appropriate policy to set up of charging stations for electric vehicles in cities and highways in the state of Uttar Pradesh. The submission will not provide any right to the applicants for staking any claim for setting up of charging stations, the EOI document has clarified.

The EoIs have been invited for enabling the authority to formulate a further methodology for the development of EV charging stations in Uttar Pradesh.

The objectives behind the move include: ensuring safe, reliable, accessible and affordable charging infrastructure, the affordable tariff for EV owners by charging station operators, generate employment and income opportunities for small entrepreneurs, to proactively support the creation of EV charging infrastructure in the initial phase and eventually create a market for EV charging business. The government guideline also aims to encourage preparedness of the electrical distribution system to adopt EV charging infrastructure.

The scope of work for the implementing agency includes the installation, operation, and maintenance of charging stations and battery swapping facilities for a designated period as per the parameters laid down in the government of India guidelines.

Last year, with an eye on the future, the Uttar Pradesh state government created a roadmap for promoting the development of EV manufacturing capacity in the state, called the Draft Uttar Pradesh Electric Vehicles Manufacturing Policy 2018.

Moreover, to help the electric vehicle sector grow in the state, the Uttar Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission (UPERC) recently proposed tariffs for EV charging stations in the state.

Mercom also reported on the Union Cabinet approving a ₹100 billion ($1.41 billion) proposal for the implementation of a program titled ‘Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles in India Phase II (FAME India Phase II)’ aimed towards the promotion of electric mobility in the country.

The FAME program proposes establishing charging infrastructure, through which, about 2,700 charging stations will be established in metros, other million plus (population) cities, smart cities, and cities in hilly states across the country so that there is availability of at least one charging station in a grid of 3 kilometers (km) x 3 km.