By Our Staff Reporter
Dehradun, 15 May: The Uttarakhand government has set up e-vehicle charging facilities at 25 locations along the Char Dham Yatra route this season in order to promote environmentally sustainable travel in the hills. The government claims that this move has led to a steady increase in the number of electric vehicles undertaking the pilgrimage.
This work is an initiative of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dham who had given a call for organising this year’s Char Dham Yatra under the theme of ‘Green Yatra’. As part of this initiative, 38 EV charging stations are being developed along the route, with 28 being set up by the Transport Department and 10 by THDC. Of these, 25 stations have already become operational, providing travellers easy access to e-charging facilities.
Most of the charging stations have been established on GMVN properties, each equipped with universal chargers of 60 kW capacity, featuring two 30 kW charging guns. GMVN MD Vishal Mishra stated that setting up charging stations at key halting points aims to encourage pilgrims to opt for electric vehicles, thereby supporting sustainable tourism. In Rudraprayag district, four GMVN guest houses operated by the Tourism Department now offer charging services.
Commenting on this development, CM Pushkar Singh Dhami claimed that, in alignment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision, this year’s Char Dham Yatra is being promoted as a green journey. He noted that the establishment of EV charging stations would not only ease travel for devotees but also serve as a significant step towards making Uttarakhand pollution-free. The government’s objective is to advance environmental protection, responsible tourism, and green mobility by facilitating the use of electric vehicles.
The government officials have shared that e-charging stations are now available at various locations including Uttarkashi, Haridwar, Rishikesh, Manglaur, Roorkee, Barkot, Syanachatti, Phoolchatti, Janakichatti, Kaudiyala, Srinagar, Srikot, Gauchar, Karnaprayag, Gairsain, Kaleshwar, Nandprayag, Pipalkoti, Auli, Pandukeshwar, Badrinath, Syalsaur, Guptkashi, Sonprayag, and Ghansali, among others.
