Pune : Officers in Pimpri-Chinchwad Face Charging Delays with Only One Station for 32 E-Cars

Pimpri, 15th October 2023 : In a bid to promote eco-friendliness and reduce the carbon footprint, the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation provided 32 officers with eco-friendly e-cars. However, officials are now facing a conundrum as the single charging station available for these vehicles is causing considerable distress. The dearth of charging stations has led to prolonged charging times, significantly inconveniencing the officers. As a result, authorities are urgently appealing for an increase in the number of charging stations.

Approximately a year ago, the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation leased electric cars for its officers through contractors. These vehicles serve the dual purpose of daily commutes to the municipal corporation and for official government duties. Currently, the municipal fleet comprises 32 e-cars, with only one charging station situated at the municipal workshop in Vallabhnagar to serve all these vehicles.

It was initially decided that the contractor would provide both drivers and charging station services when leasing the electric cars. Out of the 32 cars, 10 come with contractor drivers, while 22 are operated by municipal drivers. However, a prolonged dispute between the municipal electricity department and the contractor over the location for a charging station has left the charging facility inaccessible, leaving officers disgruntled.

Officers find themselves constantly monitoring the charge levels of their e-cars, apprehensive about the available charge lasting for their journey to and from the municipal corporation. The prevailing anxiety has led to a collective call for an increased number of charging stations to better facilitate the charging process for the municipal electric cars.

At present, the sole municipal charging station accommodates one car at a time, leading to extended waiting times for officers. A full charge typically takes two to three hours, and the confluence of multiple cars waiting for charging only exacerbates the problem. Officers often resort to strategic planning when it comes to utilizing their e-cars while also taking into account the limited charging facility.

Regarding this, Executive Engineer Kailas Divekar stated, “Understanding the critical nature of the problem, the municipal corporation has taken proactive steps to establish ten new charging stations, with space allocation secured at eight regional offices and the municipal headquarters,”.