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Time of India
07-07-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
EV charging operators in Tamil Nadu face higher power bills after tariff hike
Electric vehicle (EV) charging operators across Tamil Nadu are bracing for a steep rise in operational costs following a significant revision in power tariffs by the Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission (TNERC), effective July 1. The revised tariff structure has increased both energy charges and fixed monthly charges for EV charging stations , raising concerns among operators about the economic viability of public charging infrastructure in the state. While TNERC has retained its time-of-day (ToD) tariff model - first introduced in 2023 to incentivise off-peak charging - it has hiked electricity rates across all time slots. Under the new structure, charging during solar hours (9 a.m. to 4 p.m.) will cost ₹6.50 per kWh; during peak hours (6 a.m. - 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. -10 p.m.), the rate rises to ₹9.75 per kWh, up from ₹9.45. Night charging (10 p.m.- 6 a.m.) will cost Rs 8.10 per kWh, compared to ₹7.85 earlier. The more significant burden, however, comes from the sharp increase in fixed charges for high-tension (HT) connections - the type typically used by fast-charging stations. These monthly fixed charges have more than doubled, rising from ₹145 to ₹304 per kVA. These are levied based on sanctioned load and apply regardless of actual usage. For example, a 50 kW fast-charging station, which previously paid around Rs 1,300 in fixed charges, will now pay ₹2,750 per month - excluding electricity taxes. This is expected to strain the finances of operators already struggling with low utilisation levels. K.P. Karthikeyan, Director of the Indian Charge Point Operators Association, described the hike as a major setback. "Our average cost of electricity used to be around ₹9 to ₹9.50 per unit. With the new tariffs, it has increased by approximately ₹2.50 per unit - that's a 20 per cent jump in power cost," he said. According to him, while higher utilisation might offset some of the impact over time, most public charging stations currently operate at just 5 - 6 per cent capacity, and even well-performing sites rarely exceed 15 -16 per cent utilisation. "This is a fixed cost," he emphasised. "So, unless utilisation sees a major jump, this tariff hike effectively translates into a 20 per cent escalation in operational costs for us." The tariff revision comes at a time when the state is pushing for greater EV adoption and expanding the charging network. Operators are now urging the state government to review the policy framework and consider incentives or subsidies to keep the EV charging ecosystem viable. Without such support, many fear that the increased costs could slow down Tamil Nadu's momentum in building a robust, affordable public charging infrastructure.
Time of India
07-07-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
EV charging in Tamil Nadu gets costlier as power tariffs rise
Chennai, Electric vehicle (EV) charging operators across Tamil Nadu are bracing for a steep rise in operational costs following a significant revision in power tariffs by the Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission (TNERC), effective July 1. The revised tariff structure has increased both energy charges and fixed monthly charges for EV charging stations , raising concerns among operators about the economic viability of public charging infrastructure in the state. While TNERC has retained its time-of-day (ToD) tariff model -- first introduced in 2023 to incentivise off-peak charging -- it has hiked electricity rates across all time slots. Under the new structure, charging during solar hours (9 a.m. to 4 p.m.) will cost Rs 6.50 per kWh; during peak hours (6 a.m. - 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. -10 p.m.), the rate rises to Rs 9.75 per kWh, up from Rs 9.45. Night charging (10 p.m.- 6 a.m.) will cost Rs 8.10 per kWh, compared to Rs 7.85 earlier. The more significant burden, however, comes from the sharp increase in fixed charges for high-tension (HT) connections -- the type typically used by fast-charging stations. These monthly fixed charges have more than doubled, rising from Rs 145 to Rs 304 per kVA. These are levied based on sanctioned load and apply regardless of actual usage. For example, a 50 kW fast-charging station, which previously paid around Rs 1,300 in fixed charges, will now pay Rs 2,750 per month -- excluding electricity taxes. This is expected to strain the finances of operators already struggling with low utilisation levels. \ K.P. Karthikeyan, Director of the Indian Charge Point Operators Association, described the hike as a major setback. "Our average cost of electricity used to be around Rs 9 to Rs 9.50 per unit. With the new tariffs, it has increased by approximately Rs 2.50 per unit -- that's a 20 per cent jump in power cost," he said. According to him, while higher utilisation might offset some of the impact over time, most public charging stations currently operate at just 5 - 6 per cent capacity, and even well-performing sites rarely exceed 15 -16 per cent utilisation. "This is a fixed cost," he emphasised. "So, unless utilisation sees a major jump, this tariff hike effectively translates into a 20 per cent escalation in operational costs for us." The tariff revision comes at a time when the state is pushing for greater EV adoption and expanding the charging network. Operators are now urging the state government to review the policy framework and consider incentives or subsidies to keep the EV charging ecosystem viable. Without such support, many fear that the increased costs could slow down Tamil Nadu's momentum in building a robust, affordable public charging infrastructure.
The Hindu
03-07-2025
- The Hindu
VACB books cop on corruption charges
The special cell of the Ernakulam Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) has registered a case against a senior civil police officer (CPO) who is now serving with the security wing of the Vazhoor Government Press in Kottayam on deputation for amassing wealth worth ₹29.26 lakh beyond his known sources of income. The accused has been identified as K.P. Shimal of Vazhoor in Kottayam. He was booked under the Prevention of Corruption Act based on a preliminary inquiry into a complaint alleging corruption during his tenure as a senior CPO at the Upputhara police station in Idukki district. According to the VACB, the officer allegedly amassed assets, including properties worth ₹92.17 lakh, of which assets worth ₹29.26 lakh were found to be beyond his known sources of income. A VACB team led by DySP A.L. Yesudas raided the accused's house at Vazhoor on Thursday (July 3, 2025). Various assets and documents related to the illegal amassment of wealth were seized, the VACB said in a statement issued here.
The Wire
26-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Wire
The Wire's Series on Indian Fisherwomen Wins One World Media Award
New Delhi: The Wire's five-part multimedia series ' Breaking the Nets: An Oral History of India's Fisherwomen ' has been awarded the 2025 One World Media Awards in the Innovative Storytelling category. The award announcement on the social media site Bluesky notes that the series reveals the "invisible labour of women in India's fishing industry and their fight for rights through solidarity and action." The One World Media Awards recognise media coverage from and about the Global South. The award pages mentions that it focuses on stories that break through stereotypes, change the narrative and connect people across cultures. The series – reported by Shamsheer Yousaf, Monica Jha and Sriram Vittalamurthy – merges oral histories and immersive multimedia reportage to tell stories of resilience across six Indian regions, including the Sundarban, Gulf of Mannar, Odisha, Puducherry, Mumbai, and Bihar. The series is a record of the everyday lives of fisherwomen and also underscores their collective efforts to assert rights, access public spaces and challenge patriarchal and caste hierarchies. It also calls attention to how government policies have failed to formally acknowledge their labour in the fishing economy. The series has already won the 2024 K.P. Narayana Kumar Memorial Award for Social Impact Journalism by the Asian College of Journalism (ACJ) and the Excellence in Online/Digital Journalism, Immersive Storytelling award by the Asian American Journalists Association. The series has also won the New Media Writing Prize 2024 FIPP Journalism Award. It will be archived by the British Library as one of the works that have been shortlisted.
The Wire
16-06-2025
- General
- The Wire
What Ails Char Dham Helicopter Tourism?
Menu हिंदी తెలుగు اردو Home Politics Economy World Security Law Science Society Culture Editor's Pick Opinion Support independent journalism. Donate Now Government What Ails Char Dham Helicopter Tourism? K.P. Sanjeev Kumar 25 minutes ago If the triumvirate of the civil aviation ministry, Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority, and DGCA has succeeded in one mission, it is to unite the pilgrim with their maker, as two fatal accidents in as many months has shown. It is about time pilgrims take responsibility for their own lives. NDRF and SDRF personnel at the spot after a helicopter crashed near the Kedarnath shrine, in Rudraprayag district, Uttarakhand, Sunday, June 15, 2025. At least seven people were killed in the incident. Photo: NDRF via PTI. Real journalism holds power accountable Since 2015, The Wire has done just that. But we can continue only with your support. Contribute now What happened A Bell 407 (VT-BKA) of Aryan Aviation Pvt Ltd operating in the Kedarnath Aryan Helipad Guptkashi sector crashed early morning on Sunday, Jun 15, 2025, near Gaurikund between 0530-0545 IST. The helicopter reportedly took off from Guptkashi at 0510 IST, landed at Kedarnath Ji helipad 0518 IST before departing 0519 IST for Guptkashi. There were a total of seven onboard including the pilot. All are feared dead. Uttarakhand Director General of Information Bansidhar Tripathi said there had been 'three emergency landings and two helicopter crashes in the past month and a half' along the Char Dham Yatra pilgrimage route. Two of these have been fatal, taking a total of 13 lives since May 2025. A timeline of helicopter accidents in Uttarakhand can be accessed here. Some context (for comparison) On any given day, at least 12-15 twin-engine helicopters undertake between 25-30 sorties to/from Mumbai High. Flown by two pilots (mostly ex-military) who have to match up to high entry barriers of flying experience, twin-engine hours, offshore experience among others, these helicopters form the lifeline for offshore oil and gas workers who have to traverse hundreds of sea miles to keep our kitchen fires burning. Flying continues unabated 24/7/365 till visibility drops below 1000 metres or conditions at base/destination goes below minima — a rare occurrence, typically just 2-3 times in a year. The primary client is public sector undertaking (PSU) 'Maharatna' Oil and Natural Gas Commission (ONGC) and a couple of private sector giants. Only 2-3 helicopter companies with 'depth' can compete in this exacting environment that stretches from sea level to about 3000 feet. State-run Pawan Hans Limited (PHL), hithertofore a competitor in this field, has since vacated the arena after a series of accidents that shook passenger confidence despite the comfort zone two PSUs (ONGC-PHL) enjoyed in this client-service provider relationship. These are high-value offshore contracts with intricate standards and punishing liquidated damage (LD) clauses that companies bid for and win on a competitive basis. Upfront, there are no fare-paying passengers. Should the Captain decide to turn back due 'weather' or 'technical' (DNCO or 'duty not carried out' in military parlance), passengers would at best begrudge another night's stay in the company guest house or hotel. They can always take another flight the same day or next — no pressure. Yet there have been serious accidents that were traced back to a flawed model that incentivised 'flying hours' and 'number of landings' over safety in this industry. The Char Dham Sector Now imagine a situation where a bunch of eight or nine start-ups or small-cap companies field 40-50 helicopters for a short-term, lucrative contract in the Himalayas where: The opportunity window is a slender 3-4 months in a year Man and machine are operating at their limits of weight, altitude and temperature (WAT) Ticket prices are capped at unreasonable levels because GoI wants ' Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik (UDAN)' Demand outstrips supply by an order of magnitude The state literally incentivises the feeding frenzy by pegging ticket prices that compete with pony rides Contractual clauses load the dice heavily against 'No Go' or 'Land and Live' Only single-pilot, single-engine helicopter operations are viable in this L1 scenario Terms are dictated by Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority or UCADA generalists from the IAS cadre with ZERO expertise of aviation Is it surprising if operators become the beast of burden in this scenario where there is big money to be made and incentives for shortcuts are far too many? It's all fine till such time a helicopter crashes and lives are lost. Even then, holding the operator responsible for all losses and the state (contractually) washing its hands off must strike people with a conscience as odd, but here we are. Enabling factors As another helicopter, this time a Bell 407, VT-BKA belonging to Aryan Aviation Pvt Ltd, slammed into a hillside in Uttarakhand today Jun 15, 2025 with loss of seven lives (pilot+5 adults+1 infant), a larger question beggars answer — who is responsible for safety management in what is veritably the 'cash cow' sector of helicopter industry in India? And, more importantly, what power or agency do those that the authorities hold 'responsible for safety' wield in implementing course corrections? Some answers can be found in tender documents issued by UCADA that runs the heli-tourism wing for and on behalf of Uttarakhand state government. Fuelled by the Modi government's flagship Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) and ' Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik ' (UDAN) schemes, heli-tourism, especially to far-flung shrines in the mountains, has seen an uptick in recent years. On first look, there is nothing wrong with the policy as such. Helicopters, indeed all vertical lift, fills a niche in rugged mountains nothing else can. The Char Dham circuit is so holy in India it is considered poor form to even speak of it without the respectful suffix of 'ji' (as in Kedarnath Ji). Helicopters can turn a 5-hour trek or pony ride across rugged mountainous terrain into a 15-min air shuttle. Who in government can possibly say no to an idea that propels heli-tourism revenue where all accountability is outsourced to an 'operator' while the state keeps skimming money off the top? Safety culture? What's that? In a country where people die in stampedes and fall off the footboard of moving trains without doors in the 21st Century, who should be the final arbiter for safety? The pilgrim who has been given the opportunity to buy a helicopter ticket cheaper than a pony ride? Or a '2+1 helicopter company' who wants to 'extract maximus' from the milch cow of the industry? Or UCADA whose website, replete with spelling mistakes and 'no data found', gives a glimpse into how cheap a pilgrim or tourist's life is in India? Look at the odds. And the irony. Listed below are some of the clauses extracted from a recent tender floated by UCADA for selection of a helicopter shuttle operator from Joshiyara to Gangotri: Operator will have to provide 10 flying hours (on non-chargeable basis) each Yatra season to meet exigencies as determined by UCADA. Each operator will provide the flying hours when directed by UCADA, failure is doing so will attract a penalty of Rs 02 lakh each time. In such a case the balance number of hours will remain unchanged. For utilization of these hours a roaster will be followed. These services will be provided as per the direction of CEO, UCADA. When the helicopter is requisitioned by UCADA and if any operator refuses or shows inability, a penalty of Rs 02.00 lakh will be levied. Withdrawal of any helicopter on the grounds of reduced pilgrim traffic etc. shall be allowed only after the Operator has obtained the specific written approval of the Chief Executive Officer/ Addl. Chief Executive Officer, UCADA failing which a penalty @ Rs 20,000/- per scheduled flying hour (subject to a maximum of Rs. 100,000/- per day) shall be liable to be imposed. The above penalty shall also apply in case the Operator suspends flying beyond 24 hours, on account of some technical snag/ non availability of pilots or any other reason whatsoever. The penalty amount shall be double in the subsequent days of suspended operations i.e. Rs. 40,000/- per scheduled flying hour (subject to a maximum of Rs. 200,000/- for 2nd day), Rs. 80,000/- per scheduled flying hour (subject to a maximum of Rs. 400,000/- for 3rd day) and so on till 07 days after which the contract of the successful operator can be cancelled. The Company shall carry out the flight operations daily, with least inconvenience to the Yatris, subject to fair weather conditions and clearance by the ATC/Competent authority. (to be clear, there is NO ATC or 'competent authority' in Chota Char Dham sector except for pilots). Each pilot operating Shuttles will be permitted a maximum of 50 landings in a day and the bidder will comply with DGCA CAR Section-7 Series-J Part-II without any aberrations. The booking of Heli tickets for shuttle services will be 100% online through website authorized by UCADA. 03% (Inclusive of GST) of the tariff of each booked ticket as Yatra Facilitation Charges shall be charged by UCADA from shuttle operator. (This is like booking airline tickets through DGCA!) Booking charges/convenience fees over and above the ticket charges shall be collected from the passenger by the ticket booking agency authorised by UCADA. Dynamic pricing system over and above the L1 rate may be introduced. The SOP for the dynamic pricing system will be as directed by UCADA which will be binding on all the selected bidder. The Operator shall pay royalty inclusive of GST equal to Rs 5,000 per landing at all government owned Helipads. The royalty amount has to be deposited on weekly basis. Shuttle royalty shall also increase by 05% with every extension in contract. All other equipment/infrastructure for communication, meteorological facilities, medical facilities, fire-fighting and safe flying operation etc shall be the sole responsibility of the Operator, who shall provide it as per norms prescribed by DGCA/ other agencies. When the helicopter is requisitioned by UCADA and if any operator refuses or shows inability, a penalty of Rs 02.00 lakh will be levied. Withdrawal of any helicopter on the grounds of reduced pilgrim traffic etc. shall be allowed only after the Operator has obtained the specific written approval of the Chief Executive Officer/ Addl. Chief Executive Officer, UCADA failing which a penalty @ Rs 20,000/- per scheduled flying hour (subject to a maximum of Rs. 100,000/- per day) shall be liable to be imposed. The above penalty shall also apply in case the Operator suspends flying beyond 24 hours, on account of some technical snag/ non availability of pilots or any other reason whatsoever. The penalty amount shall be double in the subsequent days of suspended operations i.e. Rs. 40,000/- per scheduled flying hour (subject to a maximum of Rs. 200,000/- for 2nd day), Rs. 80,000/- per scheduled flying hour (subject to a maximum of Rs. 400,000/- for 3rd day) and so on till 07 days after which the contract of the successful operator can be cancelled And here's the clincher! UCADA shall not be liable for what-so-ever consequences arising out of any accident, incident, mishap, or any event relating to the operation of the helicopter services of the Operator, who shall be solely and exclusively liable for any injury, damage or liability of any kind arising directly or indirectly out of its operations. Come one, come all policy The hill state of Uttarakhand is popularly known as 'Dev Bhoomi' — meaning 'Abode of the Gods'. The Char Dham Yatra represents one of the holiest pilgrimage for practising Hindus. As defined by Hindu saint and philosopher Adi Shankara, Char Dham or the Chatur Dhama is a set of four Hindu pilgrimage sites in India, comprising Badrinath (in Uttarakhand), Dwarka (in Gujarat), Puri (in Odisha) and Rameshwaram (in Tamil Nadu). This ' Char Dham ' is often confused with ' Chota Char Dham ' which comprises Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath. Today, Chota Char Dham has gained ascendancy over Char Dham thanks to slick marketing of Hindu religious tourism by central and state authorities. With throwaway ticket prices speaking to a 'come one, come all' audience, it is hardly surprising that the IRCTC window for heli-tourism ticketing in this sector closes within minutes of opening — for a season that lasts just 5-6 months, including the Amarnath Yatra! All this in the middle of weather most unsuitable for helicopter flying — the Southwest Monsoon (Jun-Sep). Weather unaccounted? A veteran of this sector shared a video with me that I found tantalisingly dangerous, given the marginal conditions of terrain and topography in this sector. They call it Rambara Express. It shows an ominous cloud filling the Kedar valley so fast, it can prove to be the nemesis for single-pilot VFR operations. This is what the pilot had to say: 'Rambara is a village south of Kedarnath, from where this cloud weather phenomenon builds up. It builds up so fast and moves at an express pace towards the temple. That's why, it's express.' The earning season is very small and the stakes are inordinately high. In remote Himalayan helipads, what kind of operations/maintenance support can be expected to hold up against a system that expects operators to fly shuttles dawn to dusk, charging them extortionary rates for every landing while providing absolutely nothing in return except ticket fares that are capped at pony ride fares? Even the Indian military suspends routine flying in mountains after noon! 'Rambara Express' – a weather phenomenon often encountered by pilots flying Kedarnath sector Shelfware of rules, but ground reality is different A series of accidents have only added to the regulatory overload while doing precious little to correct what is essentially a flawed economic model that promotes shuttles and landings over safety. For example, the number of helicopters in the Kedar valley at any given time was reduced from four to two and payload restricted from In Ground Effect (IGE) to Out of Ground Effect (OGE), meaning lesser payload (and hence more shuttles to earn 'promised' revenue). In effect, the state government and UCADA has pumped more air into the shrine tourism balloon while watchdog DGCA has covered its tracks with Operations Circulars that are 'unobtanium' in the existing context (OC 02 of 2023). When helicopters operating under little to no oversight under Himalayan conditions meet aspirations of an 'awakened' pilgrim on a holy pilgrimage to 'wash off all sins', expect new sins of omission or commission. Wake-up call Thanks to all the hardsell coupled with the pull of cheap tickets, the hill shrines of Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath have been seeing footfalls like never before. Shrine boards and the UCADA have been incentivising this feeding frenzy with no real investments in infrastructure or safety management systems. To make matters worse, operators hire ex-military pilots with hill flying experience and incentivise them with cash bounties that draw them away from well-regulated sectors like offshore. It can only go south from here. The situation is so bad, helicopter operators can learn a thing or two from pony operators who seem to have a higher benchmark for what works in the hills and what doesn't. The flawed financial model at the root of this unholy heli-tourism sector merits greater scrutiny and could well hold the keys to solving the puzzle. Meanwhile, as fare-paying passengers, please do your due diligence and take the safer option till further advice. As it seems, nobody has your back. If the triumvirate of MoCA, UCADA and DGCA has succeeded in one mission, it is to unite the pilgrim with his/her Maker, as two fatal accidents in as many months has shown. It is about time pilgrims take responsibility for their own lives. Signing off with thoughts and prayers to seven onboard the last flight of VT-BKA. 'Baba Kedar ki Jai' K.P. Sanjeev Kumar is a full-time aviator and part-time writer. This article was first published on his website. The Wire is now on WhatsApp. Follow our channel for sharp analysis and opinions on the latest developments. 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