As Himachal plans to roll out electric vehicles, users want proof of success in hills

Himachal Pradesh plans to switch over to eco-friendly sustainable transport system and encourage use of Electric Vehicles (EVs) to reduce growing pollution in the tourist hill towns like Shimla, Kullu-Manali, Dharamshala and Dalhousie.

The vehicular pollution goes-up alarmingly in the state, during the peak summer tourist season and even during the winter period of snowfall at Shimla and ecologically fragile destinations like Manali, Rohtang Tunnel and Sissu in Lahaul valley.

The Electric Vehicle Policy, approved by the previous BJP government in December 2021, was being redrafted and tweaked to offer new incentives for private users of EVs. The Himachal Pradesh state Electricity Board will set-up multiple charging stations on National Highways and key-points and fix tariffs for providing service.

At the government level, the state’s transport department has been mandated to convert its official fleet of 30 to 32 vehicles into EVs within a month’s time.

“We have invited the tenders asking the manufacturing companies to make EVs available to the department. Some of the companies had already made their presentations. Since we mostly have hilly terrains, the companies have to prove if their vehicles are suitable to varied climatic and geographical conditions” Director (Transport) Anupam Kashyap informed in Shimla.

State’s Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri, who also holds the transport portfolio said Himachal Pradesh wants to take a lead in this segment to protect the environment and cut down use of petrol and diesel vehicles at least by 15 pc in the next five years.

Till now, 1700 private electric vehicles including four-wheelers and two wheelers have already been registered in the state. Once more charging stations come-up in the state the number is expected to increase.

The private vehicle users, however, say there is a lot of confusion about the efficacy of EVs in the hills, especially the “wear and tear” once the vehicles hit the roads.

Ankur Chauhan, who is associated with Mountain Goats Expedition –a motor sports body, feels “first the manufacturing companies have to make the people aware about micro mechanics of the vehicles, its mileage, success-rate on hill roads and assistance at time of breakdowns. Right now, we don’t know anything much about EVs or where to go for assistance, also charging is a problem”.

Agnihotri says “Initially, we will start with a pilot project in the department. There are funds available. Subsequently, we will propose funding from the budget during the next financial year. A project will also be submitted to the centre to allocate funds for introducing EVs in a phased manner. It’s a viable option”

Priority will be given to tourist spots, eco-sensitive areas and reserve forests so as to have minimum emission levels. Presently, 75 electric buses are being plied by the Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) besides 50 electric taxis and 150 three wheelers.

It was at the intervention of National Green tribunal in 2015-16 when state-owned HP Transport Corporation bought electric buses for plying at ecologically fragile 51 kms stretch between Manali-Rohtang Pass .Thereafter, the facility was extended to other towns including Shimla .

During the previous BJP government an electric vehicle was inducted in the Chief Minister’s fleet but later shifted to the General Administration Department (GAD) pool. The initiative got somehow scuttled.

Agnihotri said “Electric vehicle policy will prove fruitful in reducing this loss, besides reducing the daily expenditure of about Rs 1.5 crore incurred on the Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC).

The number of vehicles in Himachal has grown exponentially at a rate of 17 per cent. The state, having a population of 70 lakhs has 19 lakh registered vehicles. The number of registered vehicles in the state in 1990-91 were 67,000 which increased to 14.94 lakhs in 2017 and the number increased to 17,60 lakhs in 2020.