KOLKATA: Snehasis Chakraborty, state Transport minister, will inaugurate the three-day electric vehicle expo at the Biswa Bangla Milan Mela Ground on Friday.
Minister Shashi Panja and Aroop Biswas, state Power minister, will be present at the inaugural function. The expo has been organised by the state Power department along with West Bengal Trade Promotion Organization.
There will be 100 stalls and participants from across the country will take part. Kolkata Municipal Corporation, New Town Kolkata Development Agency will take part in the fair. The manufactures of e-vehicles and two-wheelers, e-auto rickshaws and e-totos will join the fair. A colourful e-vehicle rally will be taken out on December 9.
A senior official of the state Power department said there will be seminars to create awareness about the e-vehicles. The vehicle manufacturers will post officials to reply to the frequently asked questions by the people. The organisers of the expo expect 20,000 visitors in three days. "People have some apprehensions about the e-vehicles particularly about the longevity of the battery and how to get their replacement." The battery manufacturers will be there at the expo and they will give answer to the queries raised by the visitors.
NKDA was first to introduce e-buses in New Town. The state Transport department has introduced 125 e-buses and proposes to introduce 1200 e-buses in the next three years.