AP notifies five model e-mobility cities

Vijayawada: The Andhra Pradesh govt on Friday notified five cities as Model E-Mobility Cities under the Sustainable Electric Mobility Policy (4.0) 2024-29. The policy will be implemented across all urban local bodies in the state.According to a Govt Order issued by the Municipal Administration and Urban Development (MA&UD) department, Visakhapatnam, Rajahmundry, Vijayawada, Nellore and Tirupati have been identified as model cities, representing North Andhra, the Godavari region, Central Andhra, South Andhra and Rayalaseema, respectively.The notification approves the operational framework and strategic roadmap for electric mobility initiatives in urban areas. The plan includes dense EV charging infrastructure, battery swapping stations, green routes, zero-emission zones and integrated mobility ecosystems.As part of the charging infrastructure rollout, the govt has proposed one EV charging station for every 3x3 km grid within e-mobility cities and one station every 30 km along inter-city green corridors and highways.A ₹250-crore corpus fund has been earmarked under the policy, with ₹50 crore allocated for each model city to support infrastructure deployment, grid strengthening, fleet electrification, innovation pilots, viability gap funding and consumer adoption initiatives.The framework envisages phased implementation covering EV charging, battery swapping, electric public transport, green freight corridors, renewable energy integration, zero-emission zones and smart urban mobility planning. Dedicated City E-Mobility Cells will oversee implementation and monitoring.City-specific interventions include green tourism mobility and electric BRTS corridors in Visakhapatnam, logistics-focused EV infrastructure along BRTS corridors in Vijayawada, electrification of river transport in Rajahmundry, EV-based logistics for fisheries in Nellore and full electrification of Tirumala shuttle services with zero-emission zones in Tirupati.Principal Secretary, MA&UD, S Suresh Kumar said the initiative marked a shift towards integrated urban mobility planning, aligned with the chief minister's vision of positioning Andhra Pradesh as a leader in green growth and future mobility systems. MA&UD minister Ponguru Narayana said the programme would improve urban transport efficiency, reduce pollution and attract investments in EV manufacturing and allied sectors.