IIT Madras: Auroville's Green Tech Hub Rises.

IIT Madras is set to establish a new sustainability-focused campus in Auroville, near Puducherry.

“This will be the fourth campus of IIT Madras, with Auroville providing 100 acres for the initiative. The campus will align with Auroville’s sustainability goals, and one of the first facilities—a test track for electric trucks—will be developed on 20 acres,” said Director V. Kamakoti. Highlighting the environmental impact of trucking, which accounts for nearly 45% of fuel consumption, he noted that a 50% reduction in fuel usage could significantly cut carbon emissions.

The test track will be part of the Centre of Excellence for Zero Emission Trucking (CoEZET). In addition to its main campus, IIT Madras also operates a satellite campus in Thaiyur and an international campus in Zanzibar. The Auroville campus is expected to be operational within two to three months.

Union Additional Secretary for Heavy Industries, Hanif Qureshi, acknowledged India’s slow adoption of electric vehicles (EVs). “The goal is not just to increase EV adoption but to ensure they are indigenously developed,” he stated. He also inaugurated the EV Battery Engineering Lab, which will focus on advancing battery technology and charging infrastructure.

News by Rahul Yelligetti.