An EV driver's New Year's Eve turns sour in Pushkar as Adani's ATGL charger at Ananta Resort denies entry, app glitches exposed. Harsh Asher shares his 'apartheid-like' ordeal, sparking calls for better CPO accountability.
What should have been a routine charging stop for a Kia Carens Clavis EV turned into a humiliating standoff for owner Harsh Asher on December 31, 2025. Attempting to top up at Adani's ATGL EV station within Pushkar's Ananta Spa and Resorts around 18:30 IST, Asher was barred at the gates despite the app indicating the charger was available and open to all. The incident, shared by Harsh exclusively to Electree, in a detailed account, has ignited frustration over unreliable charging infrastructure in India's growing EV landscape.
Harsh, traveling with his 8-year-old child, described the encounter as evoking "an APARTHEID feeling." He recounted: "I was denied entry there at the gate and told the charger not working. The gates were closed and was made out to be an outsider, outcast... I did create an issue as I was very upset."
The situation escalated when Harsh spotted a police DCP's vehicle inside and attempted to seek intervention: "I saw the car of the police DCP or whoever was there and was pushed to not knock on his official car as I tried to reason may be with his involvement." Resort staff cited New Year's celebrations as the reason for refusal, flatly stating: "on account of new year they won't allow me." Asher emphasized his lack of interest in the events: “I stated I am with an 8 year old and have no intention to be part of any event or celebration they have.”
Adding to the suspicion, after Harsh left and tweeted about the ordeal, the charger's status on the Adani app flipped to "under maintenance," leading him to conclude: "thereby confirming my view of malicious play at hand."
Prior to this, Harsh had faced issues at another Adani charger in Bageecha, where the 60 kW DC fast charger failed despite a reboot via call center support, forcing him to use a slower 3.3 kW plug overnight. He eventually found relief at Bamboo Saa Mulberry Resort's AC charger, where helpful staff provided a welcoming spot: "the staff was very helpful, made us feel comfortable and ofcourse we did have some tea and refurbishment."
This episode underscores persistent pain points in India's EV charging network, where app inaccuracies and access barriers erode user confidence. As EV adoption surges, such experiences fuel range anxiety and deter potential buyers. Charge point operators like Adani must prioritize real-time updates, transparent partnerships with venues, and swift grievance redressal to build trust. Without accountability, these incidents risk stalling the nation's green mobility momentum.
Harsh's story ended on a hopeful note, ushering in the New Year overlooking Pushkar's lake: "moved on to usher in the new year at a cafe over the ghats sipping my lemon honey tea with my closest one's... welcoming the new year with optimism." But for the EV community, it's a stark reminder that infrastructure must match ambition.
Suhail Gulati
Suhail Gulati is the founder of ElecTree and an economist by training. He holds a Master's degree in Economics from the Delhi School of Economics and has worked in credit, retail banking, and financial stress testing at Barclays and American Express. He founded ElecTree in 2023 — building it into India's dedicated platform for 4-wheeler EV data, sales analysis, and original reporting. His work sits at the intersection of economic analysis and electric mobility — bringing a banker's rigour to a sector that deserves it.