UT launches portal for electric vehicles

The Chandigarh Renewable Energy and Science and Technology Promotion Society (CREST) on Tuesday launched a portal for Electric Vehicle (EV) users – www.chandigarhev.com.

The announcement was made during a meeting of the governing body of CREST held today under the chairmanship of UT Chief Secretary Rajeev Verma.

The portal aims to improve accessibility and transparency for EV beneficiaries in the city by providing a user-friendly digital platform. It enables eligible citizens to apply online for subsidies under the Chandigarh EV Policy, track their application status in real time, and locate nearby public EV charging stations across Chandigarh, integrated with Google Maps for easy navigation.

During the meeting, the Chief Secretary also acknowledged that Chandigarh has achieved saturation in the installation of Solar Photovoltaic (SPV) plants across all government buildings – a milestone reflecting the city’s commitment to sustainable energy and a low-carbon future.

To ensure continued efficiency of the solar infrastructure, the Chief Secretary directed CREST to initiate third-party audits of all SPV projects that have been operational for five years or more. These audits will promote accountability and long-term sustainability of solar assets.

Furthermore, he emphasised that technically innovative projects – such as SPV plants proposed over cycle tracks – must be thoroughly evaluated for feasibility, performance, and aesthetics, with close coordination involving the Chief Architect, UT Chandigarh.