Bhopal Municipal Corporation To Develop 30 EV Charging Stations For 50 New E-Cars

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) is set to become the first urban local body in Madhya Pradesh where officials will exclusively use electric vehicles (EVs) for official work.

The corporation has initiated the process to build 30 new EV charging stations and procure 50 electric vehicles in the first phase to support the fleet.

According to BMC officials, the first batch of EVs will be allocated to senior civic officials, including Additional Commissioners, Deputy Commissioners and Assistant Commissioners. Ahead of the arrival of the EVs, the installation of charging stations by the BMC will be completed in different phases.

Officials confirmed that the BMC's transport department has already floated tenders for the procurement, with the selected agency expected to manage the fleet under a three-year contract.

The move follows directives issued by Urban Administration Department (UAD) Commissioner Sanket Bhondve under the Madhya Pradesh Electric Vehicle Policy-2025, which came into effect on March 27, 2025.

Smart City to create a centralised EV fleet

Bhopal Smart City had already unveiled its plans to act as an EV aggregator for government departments. Under the project, a centralised fleet of nearly 2,500 electric vehicles will be developed and supplied to government agencies on a lease model.

To support the transition, Smart City and Bhopal City Link Limited (BCLL) will strengthen the city's charging infrastructure by setting up around 70 charging stations at key administrative and commercial locations.

The new system is designed to eliminate lengthy procurement procedures by allowing departments to obtain electric vehicles directly through Smart City at pre-approved lease rates. Smart City will coordinate with private transport operators and EV manufacturers to maintain the fleet and ensure vehicle availability.

This initiative will facilitate the use of eco-friendly e-vehicles in BMC. Our objective is to rid the city's roads of fuel-powered vehicles.

Anju Arun CEO, Bhopal Smart City