Nashik: Citizens and traders across Nashik and Ahmednagar districts have installed electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure to charge the electric vehicles in the two districts.
The Nashik zone of the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) has so far given 17 connections across the two districts, while another 10 will be given soon. There is a rise in the number of people who are investing in the electric vehicle charging facilities across Nashik and Ahmednagar.
The charging stations are being set up by individuals for their personal use or even to recharge vehicles of others (either free or for a payment).
Pushkar Panchakshari, the director of Polaris Renewable Solutions Pvt Ltd, has raised a network of about five stations in the city where he is currently recharging vehicles for free.
“There is a rising number of people who are using electric vehicles. At Vise Mala, we have a charging point where two-wheeler riders park their vehicles to charge. The number of motorists approaching us per day is increasing,” he said.
There are seven more charging stations in the city, most of which have been started by the agencies that are selling the vehicles. Some of them have been set up by the shopkeepers.
“I have installed the charging point outside my utensil shop in the Kamathawada area. This has been started on a revenue-sharing basis. Currently, it is free of cost and the energy bill is borne by the company. When the tariff will be applied, the revenue will be shared,” said Rajesh Patil, another vendor.
The stations are also coming up in the rural areas, where the connections have been installed, but the charging stations are yet to be set up.
Sanjay Gajare, a farmer and resident of Niphad, has got the connection for starting the charging of electric vehicles.