Pilot project: EV charging stations likely to come up at 12 parking lots in city

kolkata: To curb air pollution in the city, Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has considered a proposal of allowing a private company to set up Electric Vehicle Charging Stations (EVCS) at an identified 154 car spaces in 12 parking lots of the civic body on a pilot basis for five years.

KMC, under the leadership of Mayor Firhad Hakim, has seen the implementation of several ‘green initiatives’ which include urban forestry. What contributes massively to Kolkata’s air pollution is vehicular emissions. Switch to electric vehicles (EVs) is being greatly encouraged. However, since the numbers of such EVs on city streets are yet to grow, KMC has considered a proposal to set up EVCS in the KMC area on an experimental basis for five years as a pilot project.

An offer has been presented to KMC by a private company EC Wheel India Pvt Ltd (Snap-E Cabs) to set up parking-cum-EVCS fast charger of one of more charging standards at the identified locations under the KMC parking jurisdiction along with charger management software. For this, 154 car spaces in 12 parking lots have been inspected and confirmed in collaboration and a joint assessment by KMC and the private company.

The company will operate the public EV charging and parking station through cloud-based solution technology developed and owned by them. The cost of power connection from CESC/WBSEDCL to these charging stations must be borne by the company, as suggested in the proposal placed at the recent MMIC meeting.

KMC’s contribution will be limited to space allocation since the maintenance and operation of these EVCS will be done by the company, said a KMC official.

As to how KMC will earn some revenue from this, either the company needs to pay KMC a license fee of Rs 1.20 per KWH of billed unity from charging business, taking into consideration the public EV charging and parking station at all locations assigned to it, or pay Rs 1500 per month per public EV charging and parking station, whichever is higher.

It is learnt that since KMC has principally agreed to set up EVCS within the car parking lots in addition to other places with equal amenities, its car parking department shall suffer parking charges/fees against the allotment of dedicated car spaces.The considered proposal highlighted that in the matter of assigning vacant charging stations to electric vehicles in a queue for charging, public vehicles should be given overriding priority for the public interest.