Jammu: The Jammu and Kashmir Government is considering a phased transition of its government vehicle fleet to electric vehicles, while the proposed J&K Electric Vehicle Policy 2026 envisages expanding the public charging network to 900 sites within six years.
The proposed policy also sets an ambitious target of achieving 40 per cent electric vehicle share among new personal four-wheelers and 35 per cent among two-wheelers over the six-year implementation period.
The draft policy was reviewed by Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, who stressed that the transition should be based on service readiness, reliable charging infrastructure and the ability of electric vehicles to perform under J&K’s challenging terrain and winter conditions.
The Law Department has been asked to undertake legal vetting of the draft before it is finalised.
Under the proposed framework, electrification of the government fleet would be undertaken in a phased and need-based manner, with vehicle replacement taking into account terrain, climatic conditions and operational requirements. The approach is aimed at ensuring that government departments do not face disruptions because of inadequate charging or vehicle servicing facilities.
A major component of the draft policy is the proposed expansion of charging infrastructure. The existing baseline of around 180 charging sites is proposed to increase to 450 sites by the third year and 900 sites by the sixth year.
The plan also includes 140 priority fast-charging hubs, with each hub targeted to maintain at least 98 per cent monthly uptime.
The draft further proposes EV adoption targets of 30 per cent for new buses and 25 per cent for taxis and shared-mobility vehicles over six years.
Given J&K’s sub-zero temperatures in several areas, the policy proposes a dedicated Winter Validation Protocol to assess battery thermal behaviour, low-temperature charging acceptance and the impact of cabin heating on vehicle performance.
The government is also examining targeted financial support for EV adoption, including an early-adopter incentive through either interest subvention of up to 3 per cent per annum or rolling top-up support, with the two options not to be combined.
A scrappage exchange bonus has also been proposed, with support recommended for a maximum period of three years through authorised channels and a centralised digital database.
The draft policy additionally proposes integrating EV charging demand with the power system through Time-of-Day tariffs and solar-hour charging, with a target of achieving 40 per cent renewable-energy integration in charging operations.
The Transport Department, which has prepared the draft with support from the Centre for Innovation and Transformation in Governance (CITaG), has identified eight strategic pillars covering EV adoption, charging infrastructure, workforce development, fiscal support, power-system integration and environmental outcomes.
The Chief Secretary directed that the policy should adopt a reliability-first and fiscally prudent approach, with government support focused on strategic gaps and capacity building. Centrally sponsored interventions, including PM E-DRIVE, are proposed to serve as an important fiscal anchor.
The policy, however, remains at the draft stage and the proposed targets and measures will be subject to further examination, legal vetting and final approval.
