Punjab Plans Electric Bus Expansion to All 147 Tehsils

Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari said on Saturday that public demand for green electric buses is increasing across the province, as the Punjab government moves to expand its clean public transport network beyond major urban centres. The statement was issued in Lahore amid growing public attention on cheaper, cleaner and more reliable commuting options.

According to the minister, residents from several cities have been urging Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif to bring the electric bus service to their areas. She said the provincial government plans to extend the facility to all 147 tehsils of Punjab, presenting the project as a major step in reshaping everyday transport for millions of commuters.

Azma Bukhari said 1,100 electric buses are already operating in Punjab and providing daily travel facilities to large numbers of passengers. She described the service as comfortable, affordable and environment-friendly, adding that its popularity has increased because citizens are looking for practical relief from expensive and inefficient transport options.

In her statement, the information minister said the Punjab government is not limiting its green agenda to buses alone. She pointed to ongoing programmes for green tractors and electric bikes, saying these schemes are part of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s wider development priorities for farmers, students and young people.

The announcement comes at a time when public transport remains a major challenge in Punjab’s expanding cities and towns. Rapid urban growth, traffic congestion, fuel costs and pollution have increased pressure on provincial authorities to introduce mass-transit solutions that are both affordable for passengers and sustainable for the environment.

Electric buses are increasingly being seen as a policy tool to reduce dependence on fuel-based public transport. For Punjab, where millions rely on buses, vans and rickshaws for daily travel, the shift toward electric mobility could gradually reduce operational costs, improve air quality and bring more structured transport services to underserved regions.

The government’s plan to take electric buses to every tehsil also carries political and administrative importance. Smaller cities and semi-urban areas often complain that development projects are concentrated in Lahore and a few large districts, so a province-wide rollout would be closely watched as a test of equal service delivery.

Azma Bukhari also linked the transport initiative to the provincial government’s broader governance claims, saying Punjab was moving ahead in performance, merit and public welfare. Her remarks reflect the administration’s effort to present green transport as both an environmental programme and a public service reform.

The next challenge for the Punjab government will be implementation at scale. Expanding electric buses to all 147 tehsils will require charging infrastructure, trained staff, route planning, maintenance systems and long-term funding. The public response may be strong, but the success of the project will depend on how quickly and consistently the government can turn the expansion plan into reliable daily service.