Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif on Saturday directed that 240 electric buses be provided to 24 districts of southern Punjab on a priority basis.Chairing a special meeting to review the progress of the electric bus project and other major transport initiatives, the chief minister said the culture of allocating new projects exclusively to big cities must be changed. “Villages must be brought at par with major urban centres.

All districts are equal for me,” Maryam Nawaz said, adding that development must be inclusive, with facilities aligned to public needs. According to the briefing during the meeting, the first batch of 240 electric buses will be distributed across 24 districts in the initial phase. An additional 500 e-buses will be introduced in Lahore, Faisalabad, Bahawalpur, Multan, and Rawalpindi between August and October, while another 600 will arrive in the province by the end of the year. 

Of these, 400 electric buses will be deployed under the Punjab Clean Air Programme in Sheikhupura, Nankana Sahib, Kasur, and Lahore. Maryam Nawaz instructed officials to finalise routes based on commuting patterns and public convenience, and to expedite the rollout of all public utility projects without delay. The meeting also reviewed the Gujranwala Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project. It was informed that the system will stretch approximately 22 kilometres from Rahwali to Aimanabad, featuring 28 stations and 80 feeder buses to connect outlying areas to the main corridor.

The feasibility of extending the BRT route to Gakhar Mandi was also discussed. Officials said buses on the Gujranwala BRT route will operate every eight minutes, and four electric bus depots will be established to support the system. The chief minister directed the Transport Department to develop smart traffic management solutions for the BRT corridor. Progress on Faisalabad’s Orange Line and Red Line transport systems was also reviewed.

The Red Line, spanning 23.4 kilometres with 24 stations, is expected to cater to over 185,000 passengers daily. The Orange Line will cover a 29-kilometre route with 21 stations and accommodate an estimated 111,000 daily commuters. On Maryam Nawaz’s instructions, the route of the Red Line has been extended to connect Faisalabad Industrial Estate Development and Management Company (FIEDMC) to Salami Chowk.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)