Electric Vehicle Charging Stations Struggle to Keep Pace with Rising Demand on Haryana's NH-44

Amidst the increasing presence of electric vehicles (EVs) on Haryana's National Highway-44, a stark inadequacy in charging infrastructure is evident. Out of the 32 EV charging stations spread across Ambala, Kurukshetra, Karnal, Panipat, and Sonepat districts, only one public and 15 private stations are currently functional. The lack of maintenance is attributed to low demand, as per officials.

The rising popularity of electric vehicles has led to a surge in demand for charging facilities, surpassing the capacity of both public and private stations. Even some existing private charging stations are non-functional, exacerbating the challenge. Karnal, for instance, reports that all five charging points with ten charging units at Oasis Tourist Resort are out of order, and three points with seven units at Karna Lake are also non-functional.

Local residents emphasise the need for the government to enhance charging infrastructure to support the growing EV market. In Ambala, only one out of three machines at Kingfisher Tourist Resort is functional, while all three at Parakeet Tourist Resort in Pipli are non-operational. Private charging stations in the districts also face challenges, with only a limited number of them functional.

The government is urged to address the issue promptly, especially with the increasing number of EVs on the roads. Despite the surge in EV sales, some charging stations provided by Bharat Heavy Electrical Ltd (BHEL) under CSR schemes are currently non-functional. The Haryana Tourism department is in discussions with BHEL to rectify the situation and is also exploring partnerships with other companies to install new charging stations at all resorts along the highway.

As the demand for EVs continues to accelerate, the state government faces the imperative task of scaling up charging infrastructure to ensure the seamless adoption and operation of electric vehicles across Haryana's National Highway-44.