680 electric buses to ply on Punjab roads, PA told

LAHORE : Punjab Assembly was told on Friday that 680 environment friendly electric buses at a cost of Rs40 billion would be run in Punjab.

Besides, the PA was also told that Pink Buses would also start operating in Punjab to facilitate the women population of the province.

Punjab Minister for Transport, Bilal Akbar Khan during the question hour session in Punjab Assembly told that Pink Bus Service for women in Punjab as well as in Lahore would start working soon. On the 16 routes of Lahore, the Pink Buses would be operational. Regarding the environmental friendly steps taken by the Punjab government, Bilal Akbar Khan, who hails from Narowal, said that 680 electric buses would start working in Punjab out of which 300 will be for Lahore, 100 for Multan, 110 for Faisalabad and 42 for Bahawalpur will be operational.

While responding to the question of ruling party MPA Syed Zulfiqar Shah who lamented at the loss of human lives in road related tragedies, the minister said during last seven months, a strict monitoring of buses fitness had been done. Around 4,000 vehicles, he said, were seized over fitness issue. Syed Zulfiqar Shah on the occasion said that roads had become deadly for human lives in Sargodha but unfortunately there had been no attention towards this issue. Ruling party MPA Sami Ullah Khan while responding to an answer provided by the Transport department stated that a challan of merely Rs970 for dumpers was highly unfortunate as bikers were charged Rs2,000 as fine by the traffic police. Bilal Akbar while responding to it stated a challan between Rs25,000 to Rs50,000 can be done for a dumper.

Moreover, PMLN MPA from Toba Tek Singh Amjed Ali Javaid while demanding strict monitoring of rickshaws carrying gas cylinders termed CNG cylinders the ticking time bomb.

The transport minister promised strict action against illegal use of CNG cylinders and stated the association concerned had also been conveyed plainly that no driver could use more than one cylinder.

To another question, he said there had been sale of substandard food at the bus stands for which Punjab Food Authority squads had been asked to take action. Later, the Opposition staged a protest against the arrest of its workers, including the women. Opposition leader Malik Ahmad Khan Bachar slammed the government for carrying out illegal arrest of PTI supporters and also boycotted the proceedings.

Meanwhile, the Provincial Development Working Party (PDWP) in its 39th meeting has approved mega schemes of the transport sector at an approximate cost of Rs43 billion.

Planning and Development (P&D) Board Chairman Barrister Nabeel Ahmad Awan chaired the meeting. held at P&D Board here Friday.

The Provincial Development Working Party (PDWP) approved significant development schemes of the transport sector, amounting to approximately Rs43 billion. These mega schemes involve the induction of Eco-friendly buses in five major cities of Punjab, including Lahore, Rawalpindi, Multan, Faisalabad, and Bahawalpur.