Is Delhi ready for EV transformation?

Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot urges city's youth to drive the change by adopting electric vehicles.

- TIKAM SHARMA

As India is one of the fastest-growing nations, India’s automobile industry is growing at a rapid pace and slowly moving ahead in the electric vehicle (EV) industry. To eliminate pollution and reduce fuel consumption, the national capital is switching to EVs.

Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot urged the city’s youth to drive the change by adopting electric vehicles. On an earlier occasion, he had announced that Delhi would be turned into an EV capital in two years. But experts doubt it. So, the question arises: does Delhi have the infrastructure to support this change?

Anil Chikara (retired), Deputy Commissioner of the Transport Department of Delhi, told The Sunday Guardian, “We have adequate infrastructure, as it’s growing generally, like our need.” According to the number of EVs, Delhi has a certain amount of infrastructure, and it is gradually increasing over time and with the increasing number of EVs.” He added: “This time, only as many vehicles are coming out as our infrastructure can sustain. Unlike the era of CNG, with no infrastructure and lots of vehicles seen on the ground, this time, the government had done better.”