BHEL to Lead Rollout of 72,300 EV Chargers Under PM E‑Drive Scheme

Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) has been chosen to roll out a national EV charging network as part of India’s PM E‑Drive initiative. The scheme, with an allocation of ₹10,900 crore (₹2,000 crore for charging infrastructure), aims to install 72,300 public EV charging stations across the country by March 2026.

Chargers will be set up strategically along 50 national highway corridors and in high-traffic locations such as cities, airports, railway stations, toll plazas, fuel outlets, and industrial areas. This network will support a wide range of electric vehicles, including two-wheelers, three-wheelers, buses, and trucks.

BHEL will act as the nodal agency to coordinate with state governments and ministries, handle demand aggregation, and manage tenders. The company will also develop a unified “EV super app.” This app will offer real-time charger availability, slot booking, payment integration, and deployment tracking across the charging network.

Union Heavy Industries Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy chaired a high-level meeting with officials from the Ministries of Petroleum & Natural Gas, Road Transport & Highways, and Heavy Industries. The goal is to fast-track the infrastructure rollout and support Make in India priorities.

By boosting charging infrastructure, the PM E‑Drive scheme aims to reduce reliance on fossil fuels, cut transport emissions, promote EV adoption, generate green jobs, and strengthen India’s position in sustainable transport.