Delhi to Host Electric Vehicle Parade in October to Promote EV Adoption

New Delhi, September 23 (PTI): The Delhi Environment Department has announced plans to host an electric vehicle (EV) parade at Rajghat in early October, aimed at promoting the adoption and use of EVs in the city. The event is expected to attract over 500 electric vehicles, with a registration link for interested participants set to be released soon.

A senior official revealed that a tender for the event, with an estimated cost of Rs 5.76 lakh, has already been issued. The bidding process will remain open until September 30, with the parade slated to take place within five days after the tender is awarded.

“The goal is to encourage the transition to electric vehicles by raising awareness of their benefits. We hope for a large turnout of EV owners to support this initiative,” said the official.

Delhi’s Environment Minister, Gopal Rai, who recently resumed his duties following the cabinet reshuffle, emphasized the government's continued focus on combating air pollution. "Our primary challenge in the winter months is reducing pollution levels. We’ve held meetings with 33 departments to strategize for this," Rai stated.

He also mentioned that the city’s Winter Action Plan, initially set for release on September 27, will now launch on September 25 due to the Assembly session. Rai expressed optimism that sustained efforts could lead to significant reductions in Delhi’s pollution levels year-round, with the aim of achieving similar results in the winter.

Since the launch of Delhi's EV Policy in August 2020, the government has been offering subsidies to EV buyers. The policy also set an ambitious target of having one in every four new vehicles registered in the city be electric by 2024.