E-Vehicle Zone to Add to Kevadia's Unique Value Proposition

Who can forget how, in November 2019, a few months before the pandemic struck, an ecotourism startup brought zero-emission electric bikes to Mysuru And while electric bikes have been a part of the larger public transport system in Delhi, earlier this year, Mumbai's iconic Victoria carriages were given an electric makeover. Clearly, e-transport has not only picked up in a massive way in the country as a part of local transport, but is providing cities potential to evolve as new-age, green hubs of tourism.

Read Have A Wheel Of A Time On E-Bicycles In Goa

In India, Kolkata has the largest fleet of electric buses. This distinction came to light earlier in 2021, when the City of Joy beat London in terms of percentage penetration of electric buses. In India, Kolkata has the largest fleet of electric buses. That along with the oldest surviving tram network in Asia makes it one interesting city to be in.

The latest to join this list is Gujarat's Kevadia&mdashhome to the Statue of Unity&mdashwhere India&rsquos very first e-vehicle zone is coming up. A statement released by the Statue of Unity Area Development and Tourism Governance Authority  (SOUADTGA) on Sunday stated, &ldquoIn the area under the authority, only electric vehicles will be allowed to ply, with the buses made available for tourists also running on battery power instead of diesel&rdquo.

The project will be carried out in phases. Fifty e-rickshaws&mdashwhose drivers will mostly be women trained by a local, specially set-up&mdashwill ply on select routes and buses plying on tourist circuits will be run on electricity and not diesel. The authorities will also subsidy to SOUADTGA residents wishing go buy three-wheeled e-vehicles. A mobile app through which information on nearby tourist attractions, fares, and distances will be relayed, is also in the works.

Read Kevadia, the Next Tourist Hotspot in Gujarat, Says TTAI

The development is set to lend an entirely new facet to Kevadia's identity as a tourist hub that is home to the world's tallest statue (182m or 600ft). In March 2021, the major tourist attraction recorded 50 lakh visitors after one whole year of travel being marred by the ongoing pandemic. The statue, which stands almost twice as tall as the Statue of Unity, is expected to turn Kevadia&mdashwhich is also home to Sarovar Dam, Valley of flowers, Zarwani Waterfalls, Cactus Park&mdashwhich also includes one of the top tourist destinations of the country.