Bengaluru: Electric vehicle (EV) users travelling on state highways in Karnataka may soon find a charging station every 60-70 km. Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (Bescom), in partnership with Karnataka Road Development Corporation Limited (KRDCL), has moved to expand EV charging infrastructure across the state to facilitate electric mobility. The push comes amid concerns over fluctuating fuel supplies linked to the ongoing West Asia war. Karnataka already leads the country in EV charging station density, and the new plan aims to further extend coverage across KRDCL’s 3,000-km road network. Sources in Bescom said KRDCL granted permission a month ago to install EV charging points at toll plazas, bus bays, truck laybys and at its central Bengaluru office. “KRDCL has planned its facilities in such a way that you’ll either find a toll plaza or a bus-truck bay every 60-70 km on highways. These points will have EV charging facility in a few months’ time,” a senior Bescom engineer said. Bescom managing director N Shivashankara said: “We will have to set up and maintain these EV charging facilities without obstructing traffic flow on state highways. We are yet to sign the official MoU with KRDCL. The MoU will allow land revenue sharing at Rs 1 per kWh of electricity consumed for a period of 10 years.” He added that once completed, the network would “provide seamless charging access to EV users”. Joint inspections by Bescom and KRDCL engineers have identified most sites as viable. “Out of the 42 toll plazas inspected, 30 were found to be feasible for EV charging facilities, which will allow fast-charging option and enable charging of at least six vehicles simultaneously,” another senior Bescom engineer said. Additional chief secretary (energy) Gaurav Gupta said the collaboration would strengthen Karnataka’s EV ecosystem. “Collaborations such as these will help build a robust, accessible and reliable EV charging ecosystem to power Karnataka towards adopting clean and sustainable transportation,” he said. Energy minister K J George said the initiative addresses a key concern among EV buyers. “People were sceptical about buying EVs for long-distance travel. We are trying to allay these fears with a robust network of EV charging facilities.” He added that 20 EV charging facilities have been planned at 10 toll plazas on the Bengaluru-Belagavi National Highway under the PM E-drive scheme.
