A swanky car pulls in to a ‘charging station’ on a highway and parks on top of a magnetic pad for about 10 minutes while the driver enjoys a cup of coffee. Another vehicle dives into a special lane, embedded with wireless charging technology, to ‘refuel’ the car on the move. This may seem like a scene straight out of a sci-fi movie, but the day is not too far when petrol and diesel become a thing of the past as the policymakers intend to go fully electric. Given the galloping fuel prices and the uproar over how severely petrol and diesel are taxed in the country, the electric cars will become the most economic option from the first day an owner drives it on the road.With an objective of achieving zero emission and cutting down the oil import bill on national consumption of around four million barrels a day, the government has made it clear it wants only electric vehicles (EVs) to ply on Indian roads by 2030. The policy was termed too ambitious for a country where the concept is still in its infancy with the current market share of EVs pegged at less than one per cent, but the state-owned Energy Efficiency Services Ltd (EESL) has already shifted gears by procuring 10,000 electric-powered cars for the use of government officials. Tata Motors and Mahindra supplied the first order and are eagerly awaiting the outcome of another multi-crore tender.  While the Indian auto makers including Maruti started investing big on latest electric technologies in an effort to meet the government’s vision, a few critics suggested that hydrogen would be the future and not electricity. Mercedes-Benz India managing director, Roland Folger, is one such who felt the all-electric move would be more counter-productive in terms of additional power demand.  Spotting an electric vehicle on India roads is a rare sight. Last year, there were about 2,000 EVs sold in India as compared to 30,46,727 petrol/diesel cars. Only Mahindra’s e-Verito and e2o small electric cars are on sale and Tata Tigor Electric is set to roll out soon.

Bengaluru: Amid public outcry over hefty fines levied under the New Motor Vehicles Act, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and Transport Minister, Laxman Sangappa Savadi on Wednesday said the fine rates under the new Act will be revised by today evening.Earlier, Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa had directed the state transport department to slash fines under the amended Motor Vehicles Act 2019."Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa today instructed officials to study the Gujarat model of revised traffic fines to implement something similar in Karnataka," the Chief Minister's office said in a statement.

Gujarat has already reduced the fine for not wearing a helmet and set belt to Rs 500 as against the prescribed amount of Rs 1000 in the new Motor Vehicle Act. Driving without a valid license will غير مجاز مي باشدt Rs 2,000 to bikers and Rs 3,000 to four-wheelers as against Rs 5,000 mentioned in the act.States like Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal and Punjab have put the new rules on hold.