THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala is preparing to become the first state in the country to set up an electric truck corridor. The proposed corridor will be along NH-66, one of the busiest highways in the state and a major route for transporting goods to ports and industries.
The move is part of the Central government’s PM E-DRIVE scheme, which aims to promote electric trucks and buses by setting up charging stations along highways. The scheme has an outlay of Rs 2,000 crore for charging infrastructure across the country.
To take this forward, the Kerala State Electricity Board Ltd (KSEBL) and the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) have organised a high-level workshop in Thiruvananthapuram.
Officials from various state departments, power utilities, electric vehicle companies, logistics firms and experts attended the meeting to plan how electric freight transport can be introduced in the state.
At the event, Electricity Minister K Krishnankutty launched a new web portal developed by KSEBL. Through this portal, private landowners and charge point operators can offer suitable land for setting up fast-charging stations under the PM E-DRIVE scheme.
This will help the state quickly identify locations and submit proposals to the Union Ministry of Heavy Industries for approval. KSEBL said this is the first such portal launched by any state in India.
Kerala was among the first states to begin identifying land for charging stations even before the Centre issued detailed guidelines. After the guidelines were released, KSEBL was named the nodal agency and the process was sped up.
The state already has a strong base for electric mobility. More than three lakh electric vehicles are registered in Kerala, and EVs account for over 10% of new vehicle sales. Officials said coordination between departments such as KSEBL, the Power Department, the Motor Vehicles Department and the EV Accelerator Cell has helped this growth.
The story is reported by ASHNA MARIAM GEORGE of The New Indian Express
