Jaipur: The state govt is stepping up efforts to expand the state’s electric-vehicle charging network, with Rajasthan Renewable Energy Corporation Ltd (RRECL) initiating projects for 236 charging locations across six cities at an estimated investment of Rs 100 crore.RRECL recently floated tenders under the PM E-Drive scheme to develop public EV charging infrastructure in Jaipur, Alwar, Ajmer, Jodhpur, Udaipur and Kota.In parallel, the Directorate of Local Bodies (DLB) has floated a Rs 30-crore tender to establish EV charging stations at municipal parking locations under a public-private partnership (PPP) model.The RRECL projects envisage around 700 DC chargers, including 12-kW and 120-kW units. Selected charge point operators will be responsible for designing, installing, commissioning and operating the charging facilities for 10 years, with a provision to extend the contract by another five years.An official said the number of proposed locations varies across cities, with 22 in Kota and 40 each in Ajmer and Alwar. Jaipur has been divided into two zones, with 38 locations proposed in each.RRECL has capped the service charge payable by EV users at Rs 11 per unit during solar hours (9am to 4pm) and Rs 13 per unit at other times up to March 31, 2028. With electricity charges at Rs 6 per unit, the total bill will work out to Rs 17 to Rs 19 per unit, before taxes and other applicable charges.The DLB tender proposes charging stations at parking sites under the Design-Build-Finance-Operate-Transfer (DBFOT) model, allowing private operators to develop and operate the facilities.RRECL has also floated a separate tender for public EV charging infrastructure along highways, as part of a two-pronged strategy of expanding charging capacity in urban centres while developing an inter-city network to facilitate longer-distance EV travel across Rajasthan.
