Odisha has proposed 290 new public EV charging stations across 13 cities under the second phase of the PM Electric Drive Revolution in Innovative Vehicle Enhancement (PM E-DRIVE) scheme, as the state seeks to expand infrastructure alongside rising electric vehicle adoption.
The proposal has been submitted to the Centre after 170 public charging stations were approved under the first phase of the scheme in seven cities. Implementation of the first-phase stations is currently under way, according to the Odisha transport department.
“With EV adoption gaining momentum, strengthening charging infrastructure has become a priority. We have proposed 290 additional public charging stations in key urban and industrial centres to ensure seamless mobility for EV users,” a senior transport department official said.
The proposed locations include Rourkela, Talcher, Sambalpur, Paradip, Barbil, Belpahar, Berhampur, Brajarajnagar, Chhatrapur, Jharsuguda, Joda, Keonjhar and Rajgangpur. The selection covers industrial centres, urban areas and locations linked to major transport corridors.
Odisha has also identified sites along national and state highways to support longer-distance electric vehicle travel. Among the proposed locations are 68 wayside amenity centres maintained by the state tourism department and six other strategic sites, including stretches along the high-priority Paradip-Barbil corridor.
The proposed network is intended to address one of the main operational constraints facing EV users: the availability of reliable public charging outside private homes and workplaces. The transport department said the expansion would improve charging access, reduce range anxiety and encourage more people to shift to electric mobility.
Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited has been appointed as the project implementation agency for the central scheme. The proposal will therefore require approval and subsequent execution through the institutional framework established under PM E-DRIVE.
The Centre-backed proposal is being pursued alongside a separate expansion programme by the Odisha government. More than 500 charging stations are being developed across the state under the state-led effort, of which 24 are already operational in Bhubaneswar.
Charging facilities are also being installed at major public and freight-transport locations, including Atal bus stands, truck terminals and other important public sites. These locations could connect everyday urban travel with intercity and commercial movement, although the supplied information does not specify the charging capacity, technology or completion timelines for the proposed stations.
Odisha’s EV policy provides financial incentives to vehicle buyers, while officials expect the wider charging network to support the state’s transition towards electric transportation. The expansion will now depend on the Centre’s decision on the 290-station proposal and the implementation of the stations already approved under the first phase.
