EV charging facility made mandatory for bigger buildings in Tamil Nadu

CHENNAI: Residential, commercial, and other large-sized buildings should have electric vehicle charging points, mandated State Housing and Urban Development Department. The department amended the Tamil Nadu Combined Development and Building Rules, 2019, to this effect to promote the usage of EVs.

As per the amendment, all residential buildings should have a charging point for electric vehicles for each of the required car and two-wheeler parking spaces. In other words, charging points are mandatory for all parking slots.

In buildings where the number of dwelling units exceeds 50, car and two-wheeler parking spaces earmarked for visitors should also have fast-charging points, the amendment said.

However, the new norm will not be applicable for residential buildings below 14m in height and having 8 or fewer dwelling units, or less than 750 sqm of built-up area.

For commercial, industrial, and institutional buildings exceeding 300 square meters Floor Space Index area, a minimum of 10 per cent of car or two-wheeler parking spaces shall be earmarked for electric vehicles. They should also be provided with fast charging points.

It may be recalled that the Tamil Nadu EV Policy, which was released in 2023, recommended the amendments in building codes to promote EVs.

As per the policy, amendments to building and construction laws would be made to ensure that charging infrastructure is integrated at the planning stage itself for all new constructions and apartments in cities.

"All existing apartment associations with more than 50 families shall be encouraged to provide charging stations, and existing residential townships with more than 500 families shall be encouraged to install charging stations.

“Commercial building operators shall be encouraged to establish EV charging stations/points in commercial buildings such as hotels, shopping malls, cinema halls, and apartments," the policy said.