Free Public Charging Station for EVs Opens in Panchkula

With an aim to promote e-mobility, the Haryana government has opened north India's first-of-its-kind public charging station for charging all types of electric cars (e-Cars) in Panchkula.

The new station, which comes at the head office of the Haryana Renewable Energy Department Agency (HAREDA), was inaugurated by Petroleum Secretary Tarun Kapoor in the presence of Haryana's Additional Chief Secretary, New and Renewable Energy, Trilok Chand Gupta, and Secretary, New and Renewable Energy and HAREDA Director General Hanif Qureshi.

Capable of charging any type or model of EV, the new station in the state will be available to users free of cost. It has been set up by the Energy Efficiency Services Ltd (EESL), a JV of public sector undertakings (PSUs) under the Ministry of Power as a part of an agreement with the HAREDA.

The installation is part of EESL's PCS pilot phase in the state and shall be open to public for use, free of cost. HAREDA will bear its entire cost of installation and maintenance.

The dignitaries also flagged off five EVs which were handed over by EESL to HAREDA on a dry-lease monthly agreement. Among the five EVs, a Hyundai Kona EV has been deployed at the Head office of the department in Panchkula while one Tata Nexon EV each will be deployed in district offices of the department in Gurugram, Faridabad, Panchkula and Karnal.

HAREDA is also actively working for promotion and adoption of EV charging stations and EVs in Haryana and signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Convergence Energy Services Ltd (CESL), a wholly owned subsidiary of EESL for joint partnership to deploy EV charging infrastructure across the state.

Inaugurating the EV charging station, Kapoor said: "This one-of-its kind public charging station gives EV owners the freedom to choose their preferred EV, based on their respective mobility needs. With charging infrastructure that can address local needs, Haryana has the potential to greatly accelerate EV adoption and reduce the dependence on fossil fuels, thereby reducing the vehicular emissions and decreasing India's import of petrol-based fuels."

Meanwhile, HAREDA is also planning to sign an MOU with Tata Power to expand creation of infrastructure charging stations and EVs across Haryana.