App to help electric vehicle users find nearest charging stn to be launched

KOLKATA: West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (WBSEDCL) is going to launch a smartphone application for the electric vehicle (ev) users on Saturday at Biswa Bangla Mela Prangan, which will help to find the nearest charging station.

On Wednesday, Additional Chief Secretary of the state Power department, Suresh Kumar said that the smartphone application styled as 'EV Bandhu' will not only help the ev users to find the nearest charging station but also it will show whether any charging point is available or occupied. This apart state government and a private company are organising an EV Expo at the Biswa Bangla Mela Prangan from December 10. Also a ev rally will be flagged off on Saturday which will start from the expo site and come after giving a round of the Victoria Memorial.

This apart, Kumar informed that as per the decision of the Niti Ayog, all the fuel station owners will have to arrange a place for setting up vehicle charging station. The infrastructure will be developed by the WBSEDCL. Kumar informed that in next two years a target has been set up to install about 849 charging station across the state. Most of these charging stations will be set up beside the National and state highways.

In every fuel stations there will two slow charging ports for two and three wheelers and two fast charging ports for

four wheelers.