LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has approved the introduction of electric buses in 10 additional districts of Punjab i.e. Attock, Bhakkar, Hafizabad, Khanewal, Layyah, Sheikhupura, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Mandi Bahauddin and Okara.
Chairing a meeting here on Thursday, the chief minister reviewed progress on mass transit projects in Gujranwala and Faisalabad, directing authorities to complete the construction and rehabilitation of metro bus stations at the earliest while approving new station design proposals.
The meeting was informed that more than 125,000 passengers have benefited from 21 routes under the free transport initiative, with 3,560 bus trips completed so far. Officials said 100 electric buses will arrive in Punjab this month, 350 by mid-May and another 264 by the end of June. Dedicated depots for electric buses will be established in every division of the province, while the chief minister also sought a comprehensive plan to operate 1,500 electric buses at the tehsil level.
A progress report on Punjab’s first e-taxi scheme revealed that 194 e-taxis will arrive in May and 208 in June. The meeting also reviewed the installation of modern bus stations in Lahore under the “Empower Her” project and granted in-principle approval for an e-bike scheme for government employees. Separately, Maryam decided to launch the country’s first fast train after a historic MoU was signed between the government of Punjab and Pakistan Railways. The chief minister and Federal Minister for Railways Hanif Abbasi signed the agreement, under which Pakistan’s first fast train will run between Lahore and Rawalpindi, completing the journey in two and a half hours.
Officials said modern trains will operate on eight local routes across 20 regions, covering 1,415 kilometres. Punjab will provide modern DMU trains for regional routes, including Shahdara-Narowal, Narowal-Sialkot and Raiwind-Kasur-Pakpattan-Lodhran. Additional services will run on Sheikhupura-Jaranwala-Shorkot, Lala Musa-Malakwal-Sargodha, Faisalabad-Chak Jhumra-Shaheenabad, and Kot Addu-Dera Ghazi Khan-Kashmore routes. New railway engines and modern coaches will be introduced under the agreement.
Hanif praised the chief minister’s efforts, saying that nearly 90 million people will benefit from the nine routes.
Maryam reiterated her commitment to providing European-style transport facilities to nearly 110 million people of Punjab.
