Tamil Nadu’s new comprehensive EV charging mandate will help real estate sector differentiate offerings
A recent amendment by the Tamil Nadu Housing and Urban Development Department making EV charging infrastructure mandatory in all large residential and commercial buildings has been welcomed by the industry but also brought out questions on implementation from the real estate sector.
Speaking to businessline, EV industry players suggest that the move will be a major boost for adoption, and real estate experts believe it could have a mixed impact for property developers. While builders may expect higher property values and improved project appeal, they flag space constraints and upfront cost-related challenges.
As per the latest amendments to the Tamil Nadu Combined Development and Building Rules, 2019, all two- and four-wheeler parking spaces in residential buildings must have provisions for charging points. Buildings not exceeding 14 metres in height, 8 dwelling units or 750 sq metres of built-up area are exempt from the regulation. Similar mandates are set for commercial properties too.
“Leading developers are happy to follow the rules because they can reasonably expect property values to go up, but for smaller players the mandate comes with problems like high initial setup costs, grid upgrades and lack of space,” Sanjay Chugh, Director & City Head – Chennai, Anarock Group, said.
Bharat M Jain, Director, Arihant Foundations and Housing, predicts that cost implications could be in the range of ₹2-3 lakhs per apartment depending on the type of charging facility and related costs like wiring.
Pradyumna Krishnakumar, ED, Brigade Enterprises Limited, hailed the mandate as “a progressive step towards sustainable urban development.”
On the other hand, the industry is also seeking clarity from the Electricity Board. Mohamed Ali, President, CREDAI Chennai, suggests that providing enough power for an EV charging point for each house will require acceptance and planning from the TNEB side.
Going a step further
While Karnataka and Maharashtra have spelt out EV charging requirements in the past, Tamil Nadu’s move to mandate one charging point for every parking space/house is likely to be the most comprehensive one.
Chugh from Anarock Group describes Tamil Nadu’s rule as ‘India’s most comprehensive EV infrastructure mandate’, noting that its requirement for EV provisions across all parking spaces is far stricter than other States’ 20 per cent threshold. He added that the new regulation will give an opportunity for leading residential players in the State to differentiate and stay ahead of the curve.
EV players bullish on adoption
Thiru Srinivasan, Senior Advisor, EV Sector, FaMe TN, says that the move is important to improve EV adoption in the State, with over 80 per cent of charging happening at home, especially in the evenings. “Ubiquitous charging wherever one parks the vehicle is much needed and places like this must be mandated to get power outlets available for charging,” he said.
“The biggest convenience of owning an EV is the ability to charge at home. For a long time EV owners have faced challenges with charging in appartments, especially in terms of resistance from apartment associations. But with a regulatory push, things will be much better,” Karthikeyan Palanisamy, CEO of Zeon Charging, said.
Dinesh Arjun, Co-Founder and CEO, Raptee.HV echoes this suggesting that the move can help create awareness about EVs and charging patterns. “Many Home Owners Associations continue to disallow charging within apartments. This will remove those barriers of adoption, and the more people see others using EVs, the sooner they get comfortable buying their own,” he said.
In terms of adoption, Tamil Nadu’s EV adoption of around 7.5 per cent, though it has improved in the past few years, still lags behind the national average of 8.5 per cent.
(With inputs from TE Rajasimhan)
Published on November 10, 2025
