NHEV Secures Land In Tirunelveli For 3G EV Charging Station On Kanyakumari–Madurai Route

Partners Tata Steel Nest-In and HYDRA Charging have visited the location to begin construction planning and surveys for electrification. Over 36 partners from the NHEV team are also expected to inspect the site in the coming weeks.

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The project uses a hybrid public–private partnership model called Annuity Hybrid E-Mobility (AHEM). It allows entities from the public sector, private companies, and individuals to take part in developing and operating large-scale EV charging stations. According to NHEV, this structure removes earlier regulatory limitations on private ownership that existed with traditional fuel stations.

The Tirunelveli station is included in the national 5,500 km rollout of 3G EV charging stations. This plan was recommended by the Estimate Committee of the 17th Lok Sabha in 2024. The initiative is backed by the 2025–26 Union Budget, which sets a new target to complete the network by 2027—three years earlier than originally planned.

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Abhijeet Sinha, Project Director–NHEV, said, “We have finalised multiple locations for NHEV 3G Charging Stations in South Zone states as per Chennai-Trichy 3rd Technical Trial for Electric & LNG Trucks, Buses and vehicles. After the overwhelming response to give land for these petrol pump-sized 3G charging stations, we have concluded our final examination of pledged land parcel applications received from people and private companies. They were also compared with sites available through public entity NHLML bidding/auctions, and NHEV will take sites from both Private (People & Companies) & Public (NHLML & PSUs) to build these 3G energy stations.

The Tirunelveli site lies on NHEV’s fifth freight corridor. The corridor follows earlier trials such as the Chennai–Trichy run in 2024 using electric and LNG trucks. NHEV plans to turn the location into a charging hub for trucks and logistics vehicles, supported by proximity to ports and freight routes in the region.

The location for the first charging station on the Kanyakumari–Madurai route will be announced soon as part of the ongoing South Zone rollout, covering Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Goa and Puducherry.

R. Harish Babu, MD-Maaya Autobahn, after pledging the site to NHEV for lease, said, “This site is now being opened up to NHEV partners for construction-related site survey, soil testing, and project estimation to finalise the station's final asset price tag. A drone survey and mapping of the area have already been completed. Today, the NHEV Director visited the ongoing public toilet construction, which will be started soon.”