Indian Railways is planning to offer charging stations for Electric Vehicles at its railway stations. According to a recent notification from the North Central Railways zone, a tender has been floated for the installation of EV charging stations at Prayagraj Junction, Manikpur, and Aligarh railway stations, furthering charging station development at various locations frequented by the masses.
Implementing EV charging infrastructure at railway stations can offer good accessibility and have electrical grid connectivity as they are generally located within main routes. Charging stations at these locations can be used as supplementary points of charging for EVs while contributing to the expansion of public charging infrastructure.
Additionally, the campaign shows the prospects of interconnecting transport infrastructure and energy infrastructure. Railway stations have already got electrical linkages, parking sites, as well as passengers coming in large numbers; and that makes them appropriate spots for charging stations. Such sites could be used for servicing many classes of EVs ranging from passenger cars, commercial vehicles and other forms of electric mobility with varying sizes of charging infrastructure.
The North Central Railway project demonstrates how existing transport infrastructure can support India’s expanding EV charging network. As EV adoption increases, railway stations and other transport hubs could become strategically important charging locations, provided adequate electrical capacity, load management, protection and energy-management systems are deployed. This could help integrate charging infrastructure with existing power networks while improving access to public EV charging.
