In a sweeping move to overhaul public mobility and curb emissions, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has greenlit the distribution of 100,000 subsidized electric bikes for students and the deployment of 1,500 electric buses across 91 tehsils. The dual initiative, confirmed during a high-level Transport and Mass Transit Department meeting, signals the province’s most ambitious clean-transport investment to date.
E-Bike Scheme Targets Students with Heavily Backed Installments
The revamped e-bike program will deliver 100,000 units within a single year, backed by a government subsidy of Rs70,000 per bike. Male students are required to make a down payment of Rs14,000, while Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz will personally fund the down payment and registration fees for female students. Recipients will then pay a flat monthly installment of Rs2,100, entirely interest-free. Government employees across Punjab will also gain access to the easy-installment plan, widening the scheme’s reach beyond campuses.
Local Manufacturing Milestone Powers Bus Rollout
>For the first time, Punjab has established an electric bus assembly industry within the province. An operational assembly plant is already producing electric buses, marking a shift from mere operation to domestic manufacturing. The meeting confirmed that PC-1 approval has been secured for the procurement of 1,500 electric buses at the tehsil level, while 189 new electric buses are prepared for a soft launch in various districts.
Phased Expansion Across Nine Divisions
The first phase will see 1,500 buses begin services in 91 tehsils spanning nine divisions: Gujranwala, Gujrat, Rawalpindi, Multan, Sahiwal, Bahawalpur, Dera Ghazi Khan, Faisalabad, and Sargodha. Maryam Nawaz ordered the immediate commencement of electric bus services in Kot Addu, Talagang, and Taunsa Sharif, with Vehari and Lodhran to follow. She also directed that any area currently operating fewer than 15 buses receive reinforcements to meet that minimum threshold.
Online Inauguration and Fleet Upgrades
The chief minister suggested that the formal inauguration could be conducted online, underscoring a focus on rapid execution over ceremony. Additional electric buses are slated for Vehari, Lodhran, and Nankana Sahib, as the province accelerates its transition to a cleaner, self-reliant public transport network.
