Mumbai: Electric Vehicle (EV) charging stations will now be a mandatory first step at any retail fuel outlet being developed on Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) land under the public-private partnership (PPP) model, MSRTC chairman and state transport minister Pratap Sarnaik announced on Tuesday after convening an ST board meeting.Sarnaik said officials were directed to prioritise EV charging infrastructure and create robust facilities capable of supporting electric buses, signalling a sharper shift towards cleaner mobility even as the corporation continued to depend heavily on diesel operations. The directive was issued during a meeting in the minister’s chamber at the state ministry, attended by MSRTC managing director Madhav Kusekar, senior officials, and representatives of multiple fuel companies.
Linking the move to India’s long-term development goals, Sarnaik said the transport sector must undergo a “green revolution” as the country moved towards becoming a developed nation by 2047. “Future travel will be based on electric energy, and ST Corporation is committed to building infrastructure for this starting today,” he said.At present, around 90% of MSRTC buses run on traditional fuel, with diesel continuing to power the bulk of the fleet. However, Sarnaik said the corporation was working on a phased transition to electric buses and that e-buses will be prioritised in future procurement decisions. The emphasis on charging infrastructure at fuel outlets is intended to ensure that the ecosystem required for e-bus operations is created in parallel with fleet modernisation.In a major expansion of its land monetisation and revenue strategy, Sarnaik also announced the launch of over 250 retail fuel pumps on MSRTC’s own land assets across Maharashtra. These outlets are planned as multi-energy stations, offering diesel and CNG where applicable, along with EV charging, enabling commuters and private vehicle users to access multiple energy options at a single location.
