Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has announced that 100 modern electric buses have departed from Shanghai Seaport for Pakistan, marking a major step forward in providing affordable, eco-friendly, and comfortable transport facilities to the people of Punjab.
Sharing the good news on the social media platform X, the CM said that another fleet of electric buses will arrive in Punjab within a few weeks. She added that by December, the latest electric buses will be operational in every district of the province.
Highlighting the government’s commitment to affordability, she revealed that the fare of these buses will be set at just Rs. 20 per ride, ensuring easy access to modern transport for the common man.
Maryam Nawaz underscored that the new buses will be equipped with CCTV monitoring systems to protect women from harassment, as well as air-conditioning and advanced climate-control features to ensure passenger comfort.
“These comfortable buses will soon be available in every district, God willing,” the Chief Minister affirmed, terming the project a landmark initiative to modernize Punjab’s public transport system.
Moreover, in line with the vision of Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif, the Punjab government is planning the construction of an eco-friendly Elevated Expressway in Lahore, a transformative project aimed at resolving chronic traffic congestion and providing relief to daily commuters.
The project was reviewed in a meeting chaired by Secretary Housing Noor-ul-Amin Mengal, here.
According to a spokesperson for the Housing Department, the four-lane expressway will be built over the city’s main stormwater drain and is expected to facilitate more than 70,000 passengers daily. The expressway will slash travel time between Gulberg Main Boulevard and Motorway M-2 to just 10 minutes.
The project design includes six major interchanges to ensure smooth connectivity, while additional interchanges will be integrated with the Metro Bus and Orange Line Metro Train to ease travel for public transport users. Officials noted that the expressway will not only help decongest Lahore’s traffic but also cut carbon emissions, in line with the government’s environment-friendly policies.
The meeting also discussed relocating major city markets outside urban limits and developing a new bus terminal near the motorway, directly connected to the expressway. It was further decided to establish a Lahore Traffic Decongestion Committee to supervise planning and implementation.
On the special directions of the Senior Minister Punjab, a comprehensive Environmental Impact Study will be conducted prior to final approval of the project. The plan will then be submitted to Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif for approval.
The meeting was attended by the Director General LDA, DG WASA Punjab, NESPAK engineers, and other senior officials.
