SRINAGAR, SEPTEMBER 04: Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo on Thursday called for a reliability-first and fiscally prudent approach to electric mobility in Jammu & Kashmir, stressing adequate service readiness, winter performance and dependable charging infrastructure before scaling up electric vehicle (EV) adoption.
Dulloo was chairing a meeting to review the framework of the Draft Jammu & Kashmir Electric Vehicle (EV) Policy 2026, formulated by the Transport Department with support from the Centre for Innovation and Transformation in Governance (CITaG).
The meeting was attended by ACS, Power Development Department; ACS, Finance; Commissioner Secretary, FCS&CA; Commissioner Secretary, Housing & Urban Development Department; Commissioner Secretary, Law; Secretary, Transport; Commissioners of JMC and SMC, besides other concerned officers and subject experts from CITaG.
The Chief Secretary directed that implementation of the proposed policy follow a strictly sequenced approach, beginning with service preparedness before expansion of charging corridors and wider market adoption.
He stressed that EV deployment in J&K must take into account the Union Territory’s distinct terrain and climatic conditions, including sub-zero temperatures and difficult routes. He called for infrastructure and vehicle performance to be validated under actual field conditions before wider scaling up.
Focus on fiscal prudence
On the fiscal framework, Dulloo directed that government support remain targeted towards strategic gaps and capacity building. He emphasised greater reliance on centrally sponsored interventions, including PM E-DRIVE, as the principal fiscal anchor for the transition to electric mobility.
He also directed the Law Department to undertake requisite legal vetting of the draft policy before its finalisation.
Regarding electrification of the government fleet, Dulloo called for replacement of government vehicles in a phased and need-based manner, keeping in view the terrain, climatic conditions and operational requirements of different areas of J&K.
Eight strategic pillars
Secretary, Transport Avny Lavasa said the proposed policy has been structured around eight strategic pillars, covering vehicle adoption, charging infrastructure, workforce development, fiscal support, power-system integration and environmental outcomes.
She said measurable targets have been proposed for the first six years after adoption of the policy, including an EV share of 40 per cent in new personal four-wheeler registrations, 35 per cent in two-wheelers, 30 per cent in buses and 25 per cent in taxis and shared mobility.
The proposed roadmap envisages increasing the public charging network from the present baseline of around 180 stations to 450 sites by the third year and 900 sites by the sixth year.
This would include 140 priority fast-charging hubs, each targeted to maintain at least 98 per cent monthly uptime.
Winter validation protocol proposed
Given J&K’s climatic conditions, the draft 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 policy also proposes incentives for early EV adopters, including an option for eligible buyers to avail either interest subvention of up to 3 per cent per annum or rolling top-up support, with both benefits not being admissible simultaneously.
An annual scrappage exchange bonus has also been recommended for a maximum period of three years. The benefit would be available only through authorised scrappage channels and subject to verification through a centralised digital database.
The draft policy further proposes managed integration of EV charging demand with the power system through Time-of-Day tariffs and solar-hour charging, with a target of 40 per cent renewable-energy integration in charging operations during the policy period.
