According to a report published in The Times Of India, of late, the various environmental factors and the rise in pollution levels across the major cities in India have become a concern now. So, in order to promote a healthier environment, Himachal Pradesh’s Transport Department has vowed to move to use electric vehicles that will not cause any pollution.
They are in the process of switching all their diesel and petrol vehicles to electric vehicles. They are also in the process of becoming the first state in India to have electric vehicles. According to the plans of the state, within a year, each of the government departments shall be having electric vehicles. This is also going to promote a more cost-efficient and sustainable system.
According to a statement by HRTC, in addition to this initiative, three hundred electric buses too shall be added for the daily commute of the passengers. The Chief Minister of the state has stated that in order to go forward with this plan the government has also sanctioned rupees four hundred crores to this state. Moreover, by 2025, the state government also looks forward to turning every bus in this state into e-buses.
According to government officials, this switch in transport shall also help massively in reducing the daily cost of running the buses across the state. Currently, this expenditure is about rupees one and a half crores each day. The current high rise in fuel prices is also making the HRTC incur losses too. So, electric vehicles are going to bring back the balance in the economy of the state in a big way, according to the statement by officials.
According to many experts, this state which is ecologically sensitive has a huge potential for tourism. It can become one of the major factors in transforming the entire road system and the mode of transport into electric vehicles. Furthermore, the government too has thought about bringing in a new policy around electric vehicles. And this is surely one of the major priorities of the state government too.
According to the new policy on electric vehicles, it is looking forward to a complete transformation in the commute system by the year 2030. The policy also has a draft that grants provisions for putting a charge on different commercial zones such as commercial buildings, shopping malls, and hotels too. With the introduction of the electric vehicle policy in the state, it is likely that incentives such as tax benefits shall enhance the demand for the procurement of electric vehicles in the state.
Last weekend, even Ola Electric which happens to be the largest manufacturer of electric vehicles in the world made a deal with the government of Tamil Nadu on setting up a hub in the state for electric vehicles. This will help in transforming diesel and petrol cars of the state into electric vehicles. Ola Electric shall also be investing around rupees seven thousand six hundred crores for this project.
