Bengal govt looks at putting 5,000 e-vehicles on Kolkata roads by 2030

Kolkata: Mayor Firhad Hakim said on Friday that the state government has set a target of rolling out 5,000 electric vehicles in the state by 2030.

"We already have 80 electric buses running in the city and our government will roll out 5,000 more pollution free e-vehicles by 2030. The step is aimed at reducing carbon emissions, with smoke emitted from vehicles being a major source of air pollution," Hakim told reporters after he was felicitated by the officials of KMC in presence of MMiCs of the civic body.

The Mayor has just returned to the city on Thursday night, after attending the C 40 World Mayors Summit in Copenhagen.

It may be mentioned that West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd (WBSEDCL) has forwarded a proposal to the Power ministry for setting up 241 e-vehicle-charging stations in Bengal, which will entail an investment to the tune of Rs 125 crore.

According to the proposal, almost 50 percent of these charging stations, 116 to be precise, will come up along the state and national highways at a distance of around 25 km between each.

The state Transport department is also contemplating battery-run ferry services on river Hooghly.

The Mayor said that the city activities of KMC have been acknowledged as one of the very best at the summit and credited the laurel to all officers and employees of the civic body. The various steps taken by the state government and the KMC for increasing green cover in the city was also lauded at the summit.

"Our Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has a vision and under her guidance we have been able to transform New Town. Kolkata has also transformed since the Trinamool Congrees municipal board assumed charge of KMC in 2010," Hakim added.

Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA) has also bagged an award at Copenhagen for providing pollution-free transport system and for perpetual infrastructure development.