Mumbai, May 11: In a major step towards sustainable public transportation, the Maharashtra government and the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) are planning to set up around 200 electric vehicle (EV) charging stations across the state under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model. The initiative forms part of the government’s long-term plan to convert the entire State Transport (ST) bus fleet into electric buses by 2035.
The announcement was made by Maharashtra Transport Minister and ST Corporation Chairman Pratap Sarnaik during a high-level review meeting held at Mantralaya in Mumbai.
Sarnaik stated that the government has set a target of transitioning the complete ST fleet to electric buses by 2035. To support the move, the corporation will need a large-scale charging network capable of servicing nearly 20,000 electric buses in the coming years.
Under the proposed PPP model, EV charging stations will be developed on land owned by the ST Corporation at various locations across Maharashtra. Private developers will be allotted designated plots and will be responsible for building, operating, and maintaining the charging infrastructure.
The charging stations will primarily serve ST’s electric buses. However, private EV users will also be allowed to access the facilities during non-peak hours, enabling developers to generate additional revenue and improve infrastructure utilisation.
As part of the arrangement, nearly 1,500 square feet of land at each selected site will be leased to private operators. In return, the ST Corporation is expected to benefit through affordable charging services, lease income, and a share in the revenue generated from charging private electric vehicles.
Sarnaik said the initiative would reduce the financial burden of independently developing charging infrastructure while accelerating the transition towards eco-friendly and energy-efficient public transport.
He added that the PPP-based model would help the ST Corporation become self-reliant in EV charging infrastructure and strengthen Maharashtra’s position as a leading state in clean and green mobility adoption.
Senior officials present at the meeting included ST Corporation Vice Chairman and Managing Director Dr. Madhav Kusekar, Financial Advisor Girish Deshmukh, and other departmental heads.
Officials said the tendering process for the project is likely to begin soon. The initiative is expected to play a key role in advancing Maharashtra’s clean energy objectives while modernising one of India’s largest public transport systems.
