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AHMEDABAD: Gujarat's green mobility dream is stalling. Ranked 16th on the India Electric Mobility Index (IEMI) 2024, the state has exposed glaring gaps in EV infrastructure, subsidies, and policy execution. Despite four years of the Gujarat State EV Policy, EV adoption remains abysmally low with just 942 electric buses, a minuscule number of subsidized vehicles, and poor charging infrastructure. Amid soaring petrol and diesel prices, which have deepened financial woes for citizens, electric vehicles (EVs) should have been Gujarat's ticket to affordable, eco-friendly transport. Instead, the state has been left idling at the back of the pack. The IEMI, introduced by the central government, evaluates states on policy initiatives, governance, public-private investments, R&D, charging infrastructure, and innovation in e-mobility. Gujarat's performance is alarming: the state scored a meager 37 out of 100 for EV promotion and operations; the state has an R&D score of 46, EV charging infrastructure 44, and private EV adoption 51. However, the state collapsed in commercial EV adoption, scoring a shocking 5, placing it 27th in the country. Charging points fared no better with a score of 24, ranking Gujarat 22nd. This poor ranking is despite the state introducing the 'Gujarat State Electric Vehicle Policy' in 2021, aimed at boosting EV adoption. Four years later, the ground reality is starkly different. Gujarat, known for its industrial growth, is not even in the top 10 states for EV promotion or infrastructure, raising questions over governance and environmental priorities.
India's Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) has announced an ongoing investigation into three electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers for allegedly availing government subsidies fraudulently. The total sum in question amounts to approximately Rs2.97bn (about $35m). The firms under scrutiny, Hero Electric Vehicles, Benling India Energy and Technology, and Okinawa Autotech; they are accused of violating guidelines tied to FAME II. FAME II was launched in 2019 by India's Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI), that aimed to promote local EV manufacturing and drive electrification in India. It is mainl ...Read More >
Gurugram, 11 December 2024: Around USD 40 billion of investments are envisaged over the next 5-6 years for the development of Electric Vehicles (EV) & ancillary industries in India. However, the deployment of these funds will rely upon successful implementation of government policies, charging infrastructure ramp-up and domestic manufacturing capacity scale-up. As per Colliers' latest report "EVs in India: Renewed Vigour in Electric Mobility", about two-thirds of the planned investments, can potentially materialize in the lithium-ion battery segment alone. Interestingly, despite slower than an ...Read More >
Bhubaneswar, Dec 18 (PTI) Ahead of BJD's 28th foundation day on December 26, its chief Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday urged members to remain dedicated to serving the people of Odisha, while the party announced a mass demonstration in Bhubaneswar on January 6 to highlight the price rise of essential commodities and other issues. Patnaik asked party supporters to "raise voice against the BJP government's 'anti-people' policies" and also highlight the impact of high inflation, which hits the poor and middle class. "The party leaders and workers need to create awareness among people on the state B ...Read More >
Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], June 27 (ANI): A female student was allegedly gang-raped inside a law college in Kolkata's Kasba on Wednesday evening. The police have arrested all three accused within 24 hours. The three accused, named as Monojit Mishra (31), Zaib Ahmed (19), and Pramit Mukhopadhyay (20), were former students or staff members of the same law college. Also Read | Student Gang-Raped at South Kolkata Law College: Police Arrest 3 Youths for Sexually Assaulting Young Woman Inside Law College. According to the police, the accused named in the FIR will be produced before the A.C.J. ...Read More >
New Delhi/Noida, Jun 27 (PTI) End-of-life vehicles detected at fuel stations or found parked at public places will be impounded and a penalty of Rs 10,000 imposed on four-wheeler owners and Rs 5,000 on two-wheeler owners starting July 1, officials said on Friday. EOL vehicles are diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years. Irrespective of the states they are registered in, they will not be given fuel in Delhi starting July 1, according to directions issued by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) earlier. Around 500 fuel stations in Delhi have inst ...Read More >
Delhi's air pollution continues to worsen, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) hitting a hazardous 490, despite the government's 21-point plan to tackle the issue. The city’s residents are struggling to breathe, even indoors, and hospitals are overwhelmed with patients facing respiratory problems. The pollution crisis is exacerbated by the lack of cooperation among Delhi and neighboring states, and the central government, with each blaming the other. This pollution not only threatens public health but also jeopardizes Delhi's economic future, as it could drive away professionals and harm business ...Read More >
CHENNAI: Hyundai Motor Group has partnered with three Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) to establish a collaborative research system in the fields of batteries and electrification. The three institutes are IIT Madras, IIT Delhi and IIT Bombay. The Hyundai Centre of Excellence (CoE), which will be set up on IIT Delhi campus, will operate through sponsorships from Hyundai Motor Group. The primary objective of the Hyundai CoE is to take the lead in driving advancements in batteries and electrification, specifically designed to meet the unique requirements of the Indian market. Hyundai Mo ...Read More >
Mumbai: The death toll in Monday's BEST bus crash rose to seven and the number of injured to 42 even as the driver, Sanjay More, booked for culpable homicide not amounting to murder, claimed he had noticed a spark and mistakenly accelerated the bus instead of applying brakes. Seeking More's custody, police said they want to investigate if he intentionally used the vehicle as a weapon. The bus on Route 332 had accelerated on a congested 200m stretch near Kurla station hitting vehicles and pedestr ...Read More >
The Delhi-Mumbai Expressway's Wayside Amenity Stations, initiated by NHAI, are revolutionizing the travel experience for long-distance truck drivers. These driver-centric stations offer essential facilities such as rest areas, dining, and refueling, significantly enhancing comfort, safety, and convenience for India's highway heroes. The Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, one of the most ambitious infrastructure projects by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, is setting new standards in eco-sensit ...Read More >
Listening to the sounds of nature such as birdsong reduces stress levels - but the sound of traffic increases them, new research shows. The research lends support for anyone who is a firm believer in the curative powers of a walk in the countryside or through a forest. In a study, 68 volunteers listened to three three-minute soundscapes: a nature soundscape recorded at sunrise in West Sussex, the same soundscape combined with 20 mile per hour road traffic sounds, and the same soundscape with 40 mile per hour traffic sounds. General mood and anxiety were assessed before and after the soundsc ...Read More >
New Delhi: The BS3 petrol and BS4 diesel vehicle ban has been lifted in Delhi after the Air Quality Index (AQI) improved to the moderate category. The Supreme Court allowed the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to ease restrictions due to the improvement in the national capital's air pollution situation. Delhi had been facing high pollution levels, which led CAQM to enforce Stage 4 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). The court has now asked the commission to apply GRAP Stage 2. ...Read More >
New Delhi: Three Indian citizens vanished mysteriously in Tehran. Darkness closed in as hope seemed lost. A ruthless Pakistani gang with potential links to ISI snatched them away, casting a shadow of fear. But relentless Indian diplomats refused to back down. Against all odds, a daring rescue mission ignited. Now, the captives are free, and a chilling game of espionage comes to light. The Punjab-based trio - Amritpal Singh from Hoshiarpur, Jaspal Singh from SBS Nagar and Hushnapreet Singh from Sangrur - had landed in Iran on May 1. Promised a clandestine route to Australia via Dubai and Tehra ...Read More >
Hyderabad: The much-awaited Shilpa Layout Phase 2 flyover is finally open to the public. Telangana chief minister inaugurated the flyover at Gachibowli on Saturday, June 28. Named after late senior Congress leader and five-time MLA P Janardhan Reddy, the 1.2 km-long six-lane bi-directional flyover has been built at a cost of Rs 182.72 crore. Built under the Strategic Road Development Programme (SRDP), the new PJR flyover promises smoother vehicular movement between ORR, Kondapur, Hafeezpet, Hitech City, and the Financial District. Addressing the crowd, CM Revanth stated that more flyovers a ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jan 2 (PTI) Stakeholders from the electric vehicle (EV) sector will hold a meeting with Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal here on January 3 on issues, including infrastructure related to charging and battery swapping, sources said. They said that officials from the Department of Heavy Industries are expected to attend the meeting. Also Read | SOF NSO Results 2024-25 Out at sofworld.org: National Science Olympiad Exam Result Released, Get Direct Link and Know Steps To Download. Representatives from Tata, Mahindra, Mercedes-Benz India, Hero MotoCorp, and other companies h ...Read More >
Mumbai, Dec 11 (PTI) Murugappa Group-run TCI Clean Mobility subsidiary TIVOLT Electric Vehicles on Wednesday said it has signed a pact with EV charging solutions provider Tata Power Renewable Energy Limited (TPREL) to build a charging ecosystem for its electric commercial vehicles. Under the collaboration, Tata Power Renewable Energy will bring its extensive experience in setting up and managing an expansive EV charging infrastructure at strategic locations across the country to TIVOLT dealerships, customer locations, and high-traffic public spaces, the company said in a statement. "This str ...Read More >
New Delhi: Rare earth magnets, essential for EV motors, have become the latest flashpoint in India's growing electric mobility ambitions. These magnets power the core of Brushless DC (BLDC) and Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motors (PMSM), which drive most electric vehicles today, particularly two-wheelers. With China tightening export controls, Indian automakers now face serious supply-side disruptions. If the situation continues, industry experts warn that EV prices could rise, production could slow and expansion plans may take a hit. In April this year, China imposed an export curb on rare- ...Read More >
Silchar: Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday visited the flood-ravaged districts of Hailakandi and Sribhumi in the Barak Valley. He assured affected residents of providing timely disbursement of rehabilitation grants and swift repair of damaged infrastructure.This marks Sarma's second visit to the flood-hit region within four days, underscoring the gravity of the situation. Speaking to the media in Sribhumi after inspecting multiple relief camps, the CM said, "Flood-related problems may persist till July. I will return before Durga Puja to ensure that roads and infrastructure ar ...Read More >
HYDERABAD: In a major move aimed at reducing pollution and improving urban transport in Hyderabad, the Telangana government has approved the introduction of 65,000 new eco-friendly auto rickshaws within the city limits and the Outer Ring Road (ORR). The decision, driven by Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar and aligned with Chief Minister Revanth Reddy's vision, is expected to contribute to environmental sustainability and employment generation. The state issued GO No. 263 relaxing the long-standing cap on new auto rickshaw permits within Greater Hyderabad. For over two decades, restriction ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: The Delhi government is set to deploy joint enforcement teams from the transport department, traffic police, and MCD at fuel stations to implement the ban on refuelling end-of-life vehicles (ELVs) from July 1. These teams will monitor compliance on the ground and impound any vehicles found violating the directive. "We will deploy a team comprising transport and traffic police officials at each of these fuel stations. They will ensure that there is no law-and-order problem while implementing the system," said Ajay Chaudhary, Special Commissioner (Traffic), Delhi Police. End-of-lif ...Read More >
Hyderabad: The government announced on Saturday that it would grant permits for 65,000 green autorickshaws to ply within the Outer Ring Road (ORR) limits. Permission has been granted for operating 20,000 electric autorickshaws, 10,000 fuelled by CNG, 10,000 by LPG and 25,000 retro-fitted electric three-wheelers. No permissions shall be given to petrol or diesel autorickshaws. Earlier, no new autorickshaws were delivered or sold to people unless they submitted a certificate issued by the transport department that they had scrapped their old vehicles. Government's special chief secretary Vikas ...Read More >
New Delhi/Noida, Jun 27 (PTI) End-of-life vehicles detected at fuel stations or found parked at public places will be impounded and a penalty of Rs 10,000 imposed on four-wheeler owners and Rs 5,000 on two-wheeler owners starting July 1, officials said on Friday. EOL vehicles are diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years. Irrespective of the states they are registered in, they will not be given fuel in Delhi starting July 1, according to directions issued by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) earlier. Also Read | UK F-35B Lightning II Stealth F ...Read More >
Officials managed to arrange for a replacement fleet after the vehicles broke down. Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav's convoy ran into trouble on Thursday after all 19 vehicles broke down one after the other, leaving the road looking more like a scrapyard than a VIP route. The SUVs in the convoy were on its way to Ratlam, where Mr Yadav is scheduled to attend an event on Friday, when it began jerking and stalling one after another, forcing drivers to push them off road. As au ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jan 2 (PTI) Stakeholders from the electric vehicle (EV) sector will hold a meeting with Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal here on January 3 on issues, including infrastructure related to charging and battery swapping, sources said. They said that officials from the Department of Heavy Industries are expected to attend the meeting. Representatives from Tata, Mahindra, Mercedes-Benz India, Hero MotoCorp, and other companies have been invited to the deliberations, they added. Earlier in March last year, the government rolled out an electric-vehicle policy, under which duty ...Read More >
New Delhi: Delhi govt has geared up to enforce the ban on refuelling end-of-life vehicles, with plans to station enforcement teams from transport, traffic, and MCD to impound such vehicles.A senior official said that teams would be deployed at fuel stations to monitor the implementation and take action against such vehicles. The teams would be from MCD, the transport department enforcement wing, and traffic.The Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) issued to the pump owners says that there will be "immediate legal action by enforcement teams" when end-of-life vehicles are "identified". This woul ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jun 27 (PTI) Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Friday flagged off 105 new orange-coloured DEVI (Delhi EV Inter-connector) electric buses and inaugurated the newly built Sector A9 depot in Narela, calling it a step towards cleaner and more efficient public transport for the capital. Gupta said the depot was completed in just 90 days and claimed it reflects the BJP government's commitment to deliver on promises made to Delhi residents. She also attacked the previous Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, accusing it of pushing Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) into losses and fostering ...Read More >
BENGALURU: BBMP marshals deployed at lake security and supervision wing, ward monitoring and Indira Canteens are working without salaries since March. The situation has arisen after Bangalore Solid Waste Management Limited was carved out of BBMP for garbage management. Their salaries are usually given through the Ex-Servicemen Welfare Society and each marshal is paid Rs 17,500 monthly. "Supervisors say the delay is due to a set of procedures. Earlier, the amount was given to the Ex-Servicemen Welfare Society towards payments from BBMP. Now the files have to be cleared from BWSML to ward mars ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], November 19 (ANI): Special measures, including the use of water sprinklers, have been implemented at the Delhi Zoo to combat air pollution and ensure that wild animals are not adversely affected. The Director of the National Zoological Park, Dr. Sanjeet Kumar, on Monday, highlighted the challenges faced by zoo management during winter. Speaking to ANI, Dr. Kumar said, "As soon as the winter season begins, the zoo management faces two challenges. First, the pollution levels rise after Diwali, and second, the onset of winter... The area around the zoo is very green, and loca ...Read More >
Bhubaneswar: Odisha's capital city, Bhubaneswar has witnessed a hike in the prices of petrol and diesel in the last 24 hours. On December 13, 2024, petrol has been priced at Rs 101.11 per litre while diesel costs Rs 92.69 per litre. The prices of petrol and diesel in silver city Cuttack have continued to remain constant for the second day. On December 13, 2024, petrol was priced at Rs 101.63 per litre while diesel costs Rs 93.18 per litre. The rates of petrol in major cities of India were recorded as follows: The rates of diesel in major cities of India were recorded as follows: ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: India's two major private-sector refiners, which have long prioritised exports, are turning to local sales, grabbing share in the country's fast-growing $150 billion fuel retail market as weaker global demand squeezes profit margins offshore. Reliance Industries and Nayara Energy are stepping up sales at home as fuel demand growth slows in developed markets and China, the world's second biggest oil consumer, with the transition to electric vehicles. The lower demand offshore combined with supply competition from new refiners, such as Dangote in Nigeria, and rising exports from Chi ...Read More >
India's electric vehicle (EV) sector is staring at a potential supply chain crisis as China's tightening export controls on rare earth magnets threaten to disrupt the production of critical EV components, according to a recent Jefferies report. The report highlights that several Indian companies are struggling to import magnets -- crucial for EV motors -- from China, which dominates over 90 per cent of the world's magnet supply. With existing inventories depleting fast, Indian manufacturers fear a severe disruption in motor production, potentially stalling the growth of the EV sector. "Indust ...Read More >