Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal launched a new campaign – ‘Switch Delhi’ – to spread awareness about clean vehicles. He reiterated the state’s policy vision is that 25% of all new registrations should be of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) by 2024.
During a digital press conference, the CM said -“For large-scale adoption of EVs, we have to create a mass movement. We must commit to reducing pollution in the city. Government can’t do it alone, every individual must support it. The state government will switch its fleet of hired cars to electric within the next six month,” He urged delivery companies to switch their fleet to electric vehicles.
The Switch Delhi campaign also seeks to convince companies, malls, cinema halls, restaurants and commercial shopping complexes to get charging stations installed in their parking spaces. He appealed to the Resident Welfare Associations to take part in this campaign.
Kejriwal said the government has floated a tender for setting up 100 public charging stations for EVs across Delhi.
Vehicles are the biggest source of pollution in the capital, and they contribute to 40% of PM2.5 air pollution levels and 80% of carbon monoxide in the air.
He also mentioned that since the introduction of the Delhi EV Policy in August 2020 a total of 6,000 electric vehicles have been sold in the state.
Under the policy, electric two-wheelers and three-wheelers are eligible for INR 30,000 subsidy. Four-wheelers can get up to INR 1.5 lakh as subsidy. Further, all EVs are exempted from road tax and registration charges.
“Almost all the applicants have received subsidies from the government. The subsidy amount is credited directly to the bank accounts of the buyers within three days,” Kejriwal said.
