SRINAGAR: Despite the Central government’s push for electric vehicle (EV) adoption, Jammu and Kashmir (JK) has one of the lowest numbers of public EV charging stations in the country, while Ladakh has just one, official data reveals.
According to government figures presented in the Lok Sabha on Thursday, JK has only 157 public charging stations, placing it far behind states like Karnataka (5,879) and Maharashtra (3,842). Ladakh lags even further with just a single station.
The slow expansion of EV infrastructure raises concerns about large-scale adoption, especially given the region’s challenging terrain and harsh winters, which affect battery performance.
The Central government has introduced various schemes, including the PM E-DRIVE Scheme, FAME-II, and incentives for local EV manufacturing, to promote EV usage. However, the lack of sufficient charging infrastructure in J&K and Ladakh remains a major obstacle.
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is working on developing Wayside Amenities (WSA) along highways, which will include EV charging stations. While 50 such facilities are already operational nationwide, the implementation details for J&K and Ladakh remain unclear. (KNO)
