Punjab govt to add 1,279 buses in biggest fleet expansion in 20 years
Punjab is set to witness the biggest expansion of its government-run bus service in more than 20 years, with the Bhagwant Mann government announcing the
Punjab is set to witness the biggest expansion of its government-run bus service in more than 20 years, with the Bhagwant Mann government announcing the addition of 1,279 new buses by the end of this year. The move will increase the state's public transport fleet by 56 per cent and is expected to improve connectivity across urban and rural areas while introducing modern safety and digital features. Read Full Story Announcing the plan on Saturday, Transport and Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said the government's fleet would grow from 2,267 buses to 3,546 by December. FLEET TO GROW BY 56% Cheema said the government has already placed orders for 696 ordinary buses, including 387 for Punjab Roadways (PUNBUS) and 309 for the PEPSU Road Transport Corporation (PRTC).
Around 300 buses are expected to begin operations by November, while the remaining vehicles will be inducted by December. In addition, the PRTC has already procured 100 medium-sized buses, which are likely to be deployed by September. Apart from direct purchases, another 483 buses will join the fleet under the kilometre scheme. More than 250 leased buses are already operating across Punjab, while another 150 buses — including 100 ordinary and 50 air-conditioned buses — are expected to be added by October. SMART FEATURES FOR PASSENGERS The new buses will be equipped with dash cameras, CCTV cameras, GPS tracking systems and electronic ticketing machines with UPI-enabled QR code payment facilities. Cheema said these features would make public transport safer and more convenient.
He added that women account for nearly 54 per cent of passengers travelling on government buses, and CCTV cameras would strengthen passenger safety. BETTER CONNECTIVITY FOR RURAL AREAS The state government also plans to use satellite-based travel pattern surveys to identify underserved routes, particularly in rural and remote areas. According to Cheema, the expansion will increase the availability of government buses from around seven per lakh population to nearly 12 per lakh population. The higher fleet strength is expected to improve service frequency on busy routes while extending scheduled bus services to villages and towns that currently have limited or no government transport. DEMAND RISE AFTER FREE BUS TRAVEL FOR WOMEN Cheema said the expansion has been planned to meet the growing demand for public transport, particularly after the introduction of free bus travel for women.
The BriefWire