Bescom Opens PM-E DRIVE Portal as Private Sector Joins Karnataka EV Expansion

Private Operators Gain Access to National EV Funding

Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Limited (Bescom) is officially integrating private infrastructure developers into the federal electric vehicle ecosystem. Acting as the state's nodal agency, the utility has opened the PM E-DRIVE portal, specifically targeting Category-C development. While Category-A and Category-B focus on government facilities and public transport hubs, Category-C allows private Charge Point Operators (CPOs) to build and manage infrastructure.

Financial Framework and National Targets

The Ministry of Heavy Industries governs this initiative, which operates under a massive ₹10,900 crore total budget. From this pool, ₹2,000 crore is specifically set aside to expand public charging infrastructure nationwide by March 2028. Bescom will manage the installation at government-owned sites while coordinating with private entities for the remainder of the network rollout.

The Two-Stage Application Mechanism

To ensure technical reliability, Bescom has established a rigorous online Expression of Interest (EoI) system. The rollout follows a specific administrative path:

• Stage One: Verification of the CPO's technical capacity and historical operational data.
• Stage Two: Qualified operators submit formal charging station proposals through the dedicated portal for subsidy assessment.

Bescom officials confirmed they will process up to 800 Category-C locations on a first-come, first-served basis. To streamline the project, the utility has implemented standardized configurations for both highway and urban charging points. Once Bescom aggregates these eligible proposals, they are forwarded to the Ministry of Heavy Industries for final approval and funding.

Source: The Hindu — Home