Lahore: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif said her government’s vision for modern public transport was not confined to major cities, adding that safe and environmentally friendly electric bus services would be extended to every town and village across the province. In a statement on Sunday, the CM said the expansion of the electric bus network from district headquarters to smaller towns and tehsils reflected the Punjab government’s commitment to providing affordable, modern and sustainable transport facilities to people throughout the province. Electric bus services have recently been launched on 13 routes in Khanewal, Khushab, Bhakkar, Attock, Mandi Bahauddin and Hafizabad.
A fleet of 15 electric buses has been deployed in Khushab, while nine buses each are operating in Khanewal, Bhakkar, Attock, Mandi Bahauddin and Hafizabad. In Khushab, the buses are serving routes from the General Bus Stand to Girot Chowk, Mitha Tiwana and Mangowal. In Khanewal, services are operating on the Khanewal-Jahanian and Kabirwala routes.
In Bhakkar, the buses are running between the General Bus Stand, Darya Khan and Behal, while in Attock they are operating on the POF Sanjwal-Hazro and Hakimabad-Attock Khurd routes. Electric buses have also started operating on the Kathiala Sheikhan-Rasul Village and College Chowk-Manoo Chak routes in Mandi Bahauddin, while in Hafizabad they are serving the Jinnah Chowk (Inter-City) and Ghora Chowk-Jalalpur Bhattian routes. Under the next phase of the programme, the Punjab government plans to launch electric bus services in 14 additional districts by the end of July.
Ten buses each will be deployed in Chiniot, Layyah, Okara and Sialkot, while Lahore, Gujranwala and Multan will receive 12 buses each. Murree, Gujrat, Sheikhupura, Vehari, Kasur, Lodhran, Nankana Sahib and Narowal will each receive 11 electric buses.
An additional 488 electric buses are expected to arrive in Pakistan by the end of August for deployment across various districts. At present, 400 electric buses are operating in 18 districts of Punjab, while work is under way to induct 1,500 electric buses into the province’s public transport fleet. Another 212 buses earmarked for 20 additional districts have already reached Pakistan. The provincial government has allocated billions of rupees under the Annual Development Programme to strengthen modern transport infrastructure and promote clean, efficient and sustainable public transport across Punjab.