A recent announcement reveals that the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB) plans to join hands with local bodies and private players to help power the State’s electric vehicles by setting up new public charging stations. The charging facilities will be available to the public for a fee, and Chennai is reportedly set to receive 100 charging stations under the plan. The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) is also working to identify strategic locations throughout the city for new charging points. The Union Government too has tasked power distribution companies with setting up public charging points along national highways. Apart from government bodies, private players are also jumping into the fray. They have helped establish charging stations in high traffic areas such as those with malls and cafes.
The focus on bolstering the number of charging stations has been met with a warm welcome. The number of electric vehicles (EV) in the city is swelling, and studies indicate that a significant portion of new vehicle purchases is likely to be from the electric segment. The trend augurs well for Chennai’s green plans – EVs help combat air pollution as they do not contribute to tailpipe emissions like traditional petrol or diesel automobiles. They’re especially useful as a solution to address pollution caused by ever-increasing traffic from both private and commercial vehicles – consider, for instance, the number of bikes plying the streets to cater to just-in-time home deliveries for groceries and other products.
Other Indian cities are also attempting to encourage the shift to EVs, but the transition comes with challenges. Apart from the relatively higher cost of purchasing electric vehicles, charging is an issue. EV riders must keep a keen eye on the distance travelled and the remaining available charge lest the vehicles run out of power. Petrol and diesel bunks are readily available in every neighbourhood, but electric charging stations are comparatively rarer. This, of course, directly restricts usage; for instance, EVs are not generally considered suitable for those who must travel or commute long distances. Public charging stations (PCS) must be shored up to address this issue, which is why the recent efforts in this area are well appreciated. In fact, The Hindu reports that new charging stations have already cropped up in neighbourhoods across the city. The TNEB proposal in particular is said to have received interest from non-governmental parties who find attractive the possibility of government aid in land identification and the requisite electricity supply. In a quote to The New Indian Express, an official from the TNEB said, “The union government has directed all power distribution companies to ensure the setting up of one common charging station every 25 km along national highways as well as 3 km within city limits. Based on this, we have planned to facilitate setting up PCS near substations.” The authorities have already conducted feasibility studies in the past; these will likely come in handy now that there is a renewed focus on the plan.
Multiple recommendations have emerged from urban planners and EV users to bolster this initiative. One such is encouraging large commercial complexes like malls, theatres and office campuses to set up charging points for the use of their patrons. Similarly, it is proposed that building developers are urged to plan for charging stations in new buildings as well as the ones they’re helping maintain. Both these suggestions are well thought of, given that the acquisition of land is a key challenge in establishing new PCS. It would also be worthwhile to explore the set-up of charging points at existing petrol or diesel bunks.
Apart from the expansion of PCS, the proposal must also include in its scope helping users access these stations better. Ground reports reveal that the current network of charging stations is at a disadvantage from lack of signage as well as poor maintenance. A common complaint from users seeking to charge their vehicles is that either the facilities are not in working condition or that the queues are long. Addressing these issues will not only help the current crop of EV users but will also instil confidence in those hesitant to switch.
Media reports say that as of April 2025, Tamil Nadu has 1,524 public charging stations, with 218 in Chennai. This is far behind other growing Indian cities – Bengaluru alone, for instance, is said to have 4,462 charging stations within the city limits. The scale should not be surprising – after all, EVs are an important piece in the plan for sustainable transportation, and some say that they can well replace fuel-burning vehicles in the not-so-far future. The new initiative then, is crucial to the adoption of EVs. One hopes that it takes quick root in city and state.