Pune, 3rd September 2025: In a major push to promote the use of electric vehicles, the Maharashtra government on Monday sanctioned the establishment of eight charging stations on the Pune–Mumbai Expressway. The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) is set to commence the site survey process shortly.

The 94.5-km corridor has only five charging stations as of now, which EV users find inadequate given the swift rise in registrations. According to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways’ Vahan portal, Maharashtra hosts over 558,000 registered EVs, making it one of India's largest EV markets. The expressway accommodates approximately 140,000 vehicles daily, highlighting the gap in charging infrastructure.

Rajesh Patil, joint managing director, MSRDC, Mumbai, said, “The growing number of EVs using the Pune–Mumbai Expressway makes it necessary to provide charging infrastructure.”

To encourage the use of electric vehicles, the state government has declared that EVs will be exempt from tolls on intercity routes like the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, Samruddhi Mahamarg, and Atal Setu. This move aligns with efforts to promote clean transportation and develop carbon-neutral highways. However, travelers continue to express dissatisfaction as many current charging stations are not operational.

The authorities stated that the new strategy must be completed promptly to tackle the challenges encountered by expressway users. They also mentioned that additional proposals have been made for public-private collaborations and utilizing renewable energy sources to ensure the system's sustainability.