Mumbai: The Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, on Thursday stated the proposed Mumbai-Delhi expressway will have a separate electric corridor and the government is ready to provide policy support to serious investors. “There is a rise in a number of vehicles that run on electricity. The Delhi-Mumbai highway will have a separate electric corridor to promote usage of alternative fuel,” said Gadkari.
The concept of electric corridor or e-highways is massively followed in Sweden. The technology of e-highways is similar to the railroad electrification. Two pole catenary wire system transmits electrical energy to the vehicles passing on the road through an overhead contact line or channel resulting in minimum fuel emission.
“The concept is widely followed in Sweden, I am flying there on Sunday to meet experts and engineers. I urge the Indian investors to come forward and join hands with the government in both the completion and promotion of the projects. The government will also ensure policy support in return,” added Gadkari.
It is expected the Rs1 lakh-crore project, the Delhi-Mumbai expressway will cut travel time by half, as people will be able to travel intercity within 12 hours by road. He mentioned the first phase of the project is expected to complete by Diwali this year.
Gadkari was in town to inaugurate India's first-ever intercity electric run super luxury bus service that will run between Mumbai and Pune. Speaking at the event, the Union minister said, electric vehicles are the need of the hour.
“Electric buses and vehicles are the need of the hour, as the vehicles are cost-effective and eco-friendly. Our country spends Rs7 lakh-crore annually to import fuel, the increase in the electric vehicles will result in huge savings to the country's annual expenditure,” said the Union minister.
Gadkari said the Centre has already rolled out concurrent policies to promote the usage of e-vehicles in commercial use. The Centre has issued policies directing the state governments not to impose permit tax on electric vehicles for commercial use.
“The government is ready to provide a rebate to the users of electric vehicles. Those who want to use their e-vehicles for commercial purposes will not be levied permit tax,” he stated.
The luxury bus service will commence from February 15 and will initially have 2 buses operating on the road daily. The tickets will be priced between Rs450 and Rs500, and the services will be operated by Prasanna purple mobility solution.
