Draft National Building Code EV rules may affect basement charging; adoption concerns rise
BIS clarified that the draft is currently advisory, not binding, and local authorities can allow charging at their discretion.
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The provisions of the draft National Building Code, which prohibit charging of Electric Vehicles (EVs) below the ground floor in residential and commercial buildings, are likely to hinder the adoption of EVs among consumers.
Industry players and EV users told businessline that such prohibitive regulations can limit the adoption of EVs in the country, and policymakers must take a more balanced approach towards safety.
According to the Draft National Building Code (NBC) under the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), “charging points for EVs shall not be permitted below the ground level; and when permitted the same shall be restricted to first basement and be of the slow/trickle charge type.”
The draft, which was made public for feedback in April of this year, states that EV parking is best planned outdoors in well-ventilated areas or in separate parking buildings above the ground level having naturally cross-ventilated sides.
Roadblock in Adoption
Vivek Samynathan, CEO of Plugzmart, notes that restricting EV charging in all basements could limit accessibility and hinder the development of convenient urban charging networks, particularly in metros where most parking is underground.
He added that a more balanced approach would include proper safety designs like smart chargers, load management and isolation features, along with mandating the use of UL/CE/ARAI-certified equipment and real-time monitoring systems.
ICE fires more likely
Karthikeyan Palanisamy, Co-Founder & CEO at Zeon Charging, claims that the notion of EVs being a fire hazard compared to Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) vehicles is anecdotal and not backed by research evidence. “In fact, statistics show that ICE vehicle fires are 20 times more likely than EV fires. So if you are banning EV parking, you should also be banning the parking of ICE cars,” he said.
Furthermore, he added that the most convenient thing about owning an EV is the ability to charge at home. “If you restrict this with unnecessary regulations, the whole ownership experience of an EV considerably comes down, prompting fewer people to buy them.”
Meanwhile, Dimple Champawat, who owns a 4-wheeler EV, notes that most residential buildings lack outlets for home chargers on the ground floor, and even fewer have dedicated outdoor spaces for EV parking. In terms of commercial spaces, she notes that while more complexes continue to have basement charging stations, there has been a growing number of outdoor chargers, especially in malls.
In addition to the charging and parking restrictions, the draft also recommends active and passive safety measures like mist sprinkler and pool systems, fire-rated walls, fire and smoke curtains and other mechanisms.
ArunKumar Saravanan, Director (Civil Engineering) & Head (NBC Unit), BIS, clarified that the intention of the draft is not to impose a blanket ban or restrict public charging networks but to ensure safer charging environments. “Our aim is to support the growth of EV charging infrastructure while keeping fire safety and other hazards in mind,” he said.
No obligation to follow
Saravanan added that, currently, the draft has not been adopted as a national standard but rather serves as an advisory for local authorities. “For now the provisions are not binding, and it is up to the local authorities to permit charging as per their discretion,” he said.
He added that the department has received feedback from charging industry players and other experts and is reviewing the proposed changes.
Published on October 21, 2025
