Delhi's New EV Policy: Charging Up the Future

The draft Electric Vehicle (EV) Policy 2026, unveiled on Saturday, requires new infrastructure projects by urban local bodies, including MCD and NDMC, to integrate electric vehicle charging facilities. This move is set to foster the burgeoning growth of EV adoption in Delhi by mandating that departments, autonomous bodies, and civic agencies like the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), and Delhi Cantonment Board ensure new projects are primed for EV infrastructure.

The policy places the onus on civic and land-owning agencies to identify viable land parcels regularly for establishing public charging and battery swapping stations. Such efforts are intended to bolster the charging infrastructure as EV usage climbs. It also outlines a framework for the development of charging and battery swapping infrastructure, with Delhi Transco Limited assigned as the nodal agency for coordination and planning.

Additionally, the draft policy introduces a single-window clearance system to accelerate the approval process for setting up charging stations and related infrastructure. Stakeholders and the public have a 30-day window to provide feedback or suggestions, through email or post, to the Transport Department.