India has been experiencing growth in all areas of the EV revolution, from charging infrastructure, to vehicle innovation, sales, and variety. However, there is still a long way to go for India to reach its lofty environmental goals, the task which to a large extent, falls on the rapid adoption of EVs. Upon being re-elected as the Road Transport & Highways Minister, Mr. Gadkari expounded on his vision to not only increase road safety standards, but also bolster electric vehicle infrastructure.

EVs and alternative fuels rank high in the list of developments in the proposed strategy. Mr. Gadkari who has been very vocal about the adoption of alternative fuel vehicles, or low-emission transport mentioned  “the need to increase the fleet of EVs and establish widespread EV charging stations, as well as promoting the use of alternative fuels like ethanol. Boosting EV infrastructure is crucial for reducing our carbon footprint and moving towards a more sustainable transportation system.”

To mark the beginning of his 3rd term, during the initial meeting, Mr. Gadkari also highlighted the importance of reducing road accidents; he reiterated the goal of a 50% reduction in road accident deaths by 2030. “The latest road accident reports revealed that 2022 witnessed 460,000 road accidents, resulting in 168,000 deaths and around 400,000 serious injuries. Moreover, there are 53 road accidents every hour and 19 deaths in India.”

The adoption of EV’s provides a solution to reach the ambitious environmental goals set by the government and also a solution to target the staggering number of road accidents too. EVs are rapidly being equipped with Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS). The technology has a myriad of much needed applications, heightened road & pedestrian safety is just one of its use cases. The vision to increase EV adoption and infrastructure shows promise to work in unison with the goal to reduce road accidents, making it a prime example for the popular idiom, “To kill two birds with one stone.”

Revisiting the 100-day agenda, Mr. Gadkari reflected the government's commitment to fulfill the promises made in the Sankalp Patra, or manifesto. This included infrastructure development, various initiatives aimed at improving road safety through techno-legal interventions, training programs, and behavioral change campaigns. Many of these will contribute to the EV ecosystem, and vice versa.