The provincial government is all set to distribute more than 125,000 electric bikes under the Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz E-Bike Scheme. Punjab is to make student commuting more affordable.

The program is intended to improve student mobility across the province, and the government has decided to take the financial pressure off students right away. Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has turned down proposals for a down payment and has directed that no charge, other than the monthly instalment, should be levied on the students.

The government will provide interest and insurance cover for the e-bikes. The monthly instalment has been approved in principle at around Rs3,000.

The e-bike portal will go live this week; applications are expected to open Friday. Officials have also been asked to make sure eligible students get their bikes within six weeks of applying.

The program will be open to students from government and private institutions, increasing the pool of young people eligible to apply.

Those chosen will receive two days of riding training to help them operate the electric bikes safely, while the government will provide helmets and safety rods free of charge.

The e-bikes will feature lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries, a technology that is prevalent in electric mobility solutions.

The scheme will be targeted at students initially but could be extended to government employees, departments and public delivery riders later.

The program is expected to help students reduce daily fuel and transport costs while increasing their independence and access to education.

The government also has plans for different colors for male and female students, with black bikes for boys and pink bikes for girls.

The initiative is expected to ease commuting costs while giving students greater mobility and independence. The government’s phased expansion could further extend affordable electric transport to other sections of society.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)