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The Himachal Pradesh government has made it mandatory to install Electric Vehicle (EV) charging stations in commercial, public and semi-public buildings as well as real estate projects under the Himachal Pradesh Town and Country Planning (17th Amendment) Rules, 2026, officials said on Tuesday.

 

The move has been aligned with the model building by-laws to ensure that the state’s physical infrastructure keeps pace with the growing adoption of electric mobility, Town and Country Planning Minister Rajesh Dharmani said in a statement issued here. He added that the Himachal Pradesh government is committed to becoming a green energy state. To achieve this goal, the government has introduced key legislative changes to promote sustainable infrastructure in urban development.

Dharmani said the state government has also strictly implemented the Himachal Pradesh Energy Conservation Building Code (HPECBC) and Rules 2018 to further encourage energy efficiency. Under these rules, specialised buildings such as hospitality units, hospitals, educational institutions and shopping complexes with a built-up area of 750 square metres or more will be allowed an additional 0.25 Floor Area Ratio (FAR) over the base FAR of 1.75, provided they comply with Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC) standards.

To ensure compliance, developers will now be required to appoint Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) authorised Energy Auditors to examine project designs and monitor construction before municipal authorities issue occupancy certificates.

 

Speaking about the economic framework of urban expansion, Dharmani also detailed the 18th Amendment Rules, 2026, which introduce a structured fee system for Premium FAR in real estate projects. Under the new rules, the charges will range from Rs 3,000 per square metre for up to 0.25 premium FAR and go up to Rs 7,000 for ratios exceeding 0.50.

The statement added that these charges will not apply to projects that have already been completed and issued certificates. However, they will be mandatory for new blocks in ongoing projects and for all upcoming real estate developments, allowing developers the option to purchase additional FAR during the initial planning stage.

 

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