Govt to rope in IIT-I to develop SOP for EV charging

Indore: State govt will rope in Indian Institute of Technology, Indore (IIT- Indore) and hold meetings with experts to develop a standard operating procedure (SOPs) for EV charging in residential areas, which will be implemented across the state.The move was prompted by the residential fire in Brijeshwari Annexe that claimed eight lives.Chief minister Mohan Yadav has set up a high-level task force to investigate the tragedy. Additional chief secretary (ACS) Anupam Rajan and special director general of police (Admn) Adarsh Katiyar started the probe by conducting a detailed site inspection.Describing the incident as ‘extremely tragic,' Rajan said that the state's primary goal was to ensure such a catastrophe was never repeated."We will conduct a comprehensive forensic investigation with the assistance of IIT experts and technical specialists," he said, adding that a dedicated meeting with Electric Vehicle (EV) experts will be convened to analyse why these incidents are occurring during charging and to identify the specific technical failures involved.The investigation will not be limited to the Pugalia residence but will look at the broader implications of home-based EV infrastructure. The key outcomes of this probe will include root cause analysis by investigating every angle, from vehicle battery chemistry to domestic wiring and charging hardware, developing an SOP for EV charging in residential areas to be implemented across the state, officials said.The senior officials also said that a potential guideline for high-rise and high-density residential colonies regarding multi-vehicle charging points will also be prepared.The officials examined charred remains of the EV and the building's electrical circuitry to understand how the fire breached the structure's safety defences so rapidly.Katiyar said that the forensic evidence collected on Wednesday would be pivotal in shaping future fire safety regulations for modern ‘smart homes' that utilise high-draw electrical appliances and EVs.