The Future of Vehicles: An Electric Horizon
The Transport Department, Government of Bihar, Bihar State Pollution Control Board (BSPCB), and WRI India organised ‘Bihar EV Conclave with the theme ‘The Future of Vehicles: An Electric Horizon,’ on January 11, 2024, at Hotel Maurya, Patna, Bihar. State transport minister, Srimati Sheela Kumari inaugurated the conclave and discussed the future of sustainable road transport in Bihar.
The Bihar EV Conclave aimed to bring together key stakeholders in the electric mobility sector to deliberate on strategies, innovations, and policies that would drive EV adoption in Bihar as the state progresses towards implementing its recently introduced EV Policy. The transportation sector in Bihar has witnessed significant growth, leading to challenges such as traffic congestion and pollution. The formulation of Bihar’s Electric Vehicle (EV) Policy involved extensive studies and consultations with stakeholders. Implementation of initiatives like subsidies on power tariffs and capital incentives is underway to ensure the availability of EV charging stations. The Bihar EV Conclave was dedicated to discussing strategies and policies that promote EV adoption.
The conclave provided a platform for various stakeholders and sector experts working at the state and regional levels to participate in discussions across different panel sessions.
Narayankumar Sreekumar, Associate Director, Electric Mobility Initiative, Shakti, participated in the session themed around ‘Importance of State-Driven Action for Accelerating E-Mobility’ where he said, “Climate change isn’t merely a global issue; it presents a macroeconomic challenge that requires urgent attention and decisive measures. The transportation sector, a crucial component of any economy, contributes to more than a third of CO2 emissions from end-use sectors. Consequently, the decarbonisation of the transport industry is of utmost significance. To facilitate this shift, it is essential to Establish diverse business models that promote the adoption of zero-emission vehicles; Encourage private investments through a regulated environment; and engage every segment of society.”
Priyadarshini Alok, Assistant Programme Manager at Shakti, spoke on ‘Navigating Tomorrow’s Cities: Public Transport for a Cleaner, Greener Future’ where she emphasised, “Given Bihar’s growing economy and the presence of multiple small towns and cities, there is a need for smaller size buses in these areas. This objective could be achieved by establishing targets for cities under the EV Policy, implementing demand aggregation, and developing a governance structure for City Transport Undertaking.”
