Chhagan Bhujbal
Nashik : Cabinet minister Chhagan Bhujbal has urged Union power minister Manohar Lal Khattar to establish an electric vehicle (EV) testing facility at the Central Power Research Institute’s (CPRI) regional testing centre at Shilapur, around 20 km from Nashik city. In Sept 2025, Khattar had inaugurated CPRI regional testing centre in Nashik and announced plans to establish an EV testing facility at the campus during his inaugural address.
He said that the city already has a strong industrial ecosystem comprising automobile and engineering firms, component manufacturers, technical institutions and a skilled workforce, making it an ideal location for a dedicated EV testing facility. “An EV testing facility at the existing CPRI centre, if set up, would help provide advanced testing, validation and certification infrastructure for electric vehicles, batteries, charging systems, power electronics and other EV components,” Bhujbal said. The project would help meet the growing demand for EV testing facilities as India’s electric mobility sector expands rapidly, according to Bhujbal. “The project would also create employment opportunities and strengthen Nashik’s position as a key centre for emerging electrical and EV technologies,” he said. “Considering the strategic importance of electric mobility and Nashik’s strong industrial base, the establishment of an EV testing facility would be a major step towards strengthening India’s EV ecosystem,” Bhujbal stated in his letter.
Bhujbal has also sought chief minister Devendra Fadnavis ’ intervention, requesting state govt to recommend the proposal to the Centre. In a letter to Khattar, Bhujbal highlighted Nashik’s growing importance as a hub for electric mobility, automobile manufacturing and engineering industries. However, no significant progress has been made on the proposal so far. “The proposed centre could undertake testing and certification of EVs and their components in line with national and international standards while also supporting research and development, technology validation, safety testing and skill development. Using the existing CPRI infrastructure would reduce costs and accelerate implementation,” he added. Bhujbal further stated that the facility would support Nashik’s growing automobile and EV component manufacturing ecosystem, provide accessible testing services to manufacturers from Maharashtra and neighbouring states, and promote innovation in electric mobility technologies. Seeking early action, Bhujbal requested Khattar to direct CPRI and the authorities concerned to examine the feasibility of the project and prepare a detailed proposal for its implementation.
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