Cooperative housing societies and residents’ welfare associations in the state have now been directed to grant no-objection certificates to install electric vehicle charging points within seven days of the date of application, provided they meet all the criteria.
The Registrar of Cooperative Housing Societies issued a circular last week in the wake of several electric vehicle (EV) owners complaining that they had failed to get permission from their housing societies to set up charging points on the premises. Housing society members noted that the latest order, which gives a time frame, would make the situation easier.
“Many committees never used to give required permission to install an EV charging station on the premises of the society, citing various reasons. This was coming in the way of members of Cooperative Housing Societies (CHS) opting for electric vehicles,” said Ramesh Prabhu, the chairperson of the Maharashtra Societies Welfare Association (MahaSEWA).
Maharashtra State Housing Societies Cooperative Federation vice-president Suhas Patwardhan told TOI they were yet to receive the circular from the cooperation department.
“Enough publicity should be given to such circulars so that the housing societies can follow them,” Patwardhan said, adding that it would be implemented, though cautiously.
The Maharashtra State Electric Vehicle Policy, launched in June 2021, addresses the concerns of various stakeholders in the EV ecosystem as it “outlines the infrastructure development, demand and supply-side, financial and non-financial incentives to tackle the high upfront cost to facilitate a higher EV adoption rate and to increase production capacity,” a cooperation department official said.
MahaSEWA pointed out that while the directive would help the owners of electric vehicles, it was also important to monitor the installation process, especially in older buildings.
A member said the government’s guidelines did not mention if or how an electric vehicle owner would take up the responsibility in case of an accident. The guidelines prescribe various technical and legal provisions to be complied by the society as well as the vehicle owner.
“If members choose different vendors to install the EV charging stations, and at different times, the installation activity would continue forever,” the member said.
MahaSEWA has advised the societies to undertake the installation of EV charging points as a one-time activity by engaging one vendor. Expenses could be recovered from the owner of the vehicle, the organisation said.
“There may be few members who may not opt for electric vehicles for the next five to six years and may oppose such a proposal. But in the interest of all members and the society, installation of EV points at a time is most important,” an organisation member said.
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