Development & Policy Desk  |  April 2025  |  3 min read

 

⚡ Quick Takeaways

•       CM Maryam Nawaz has approved electric bus deployment across 10 Punjab districts, with dedicated depots in each division. •       A total of 714 electric buses are scheduled to arrive in phased deliveries: 100 this month, 350 by mid-May and 264 by end of June. •       A further 1,500 electric buses at the tehsil level have been directed for planning — a significant expansion beyond the initial 10-district rollout. •       Punjab’s e-taxi scheme is progressing with 194 vehicles expected in May and 208 in June. •       The province’s free transport programme has already served over 125,000 passengers across 21 routes with 3,560 trips completed.

 

 

Punjab is accelerating its shift toward electric public transport with a formal approval to deploy electric buses across 10 districts, backed by a phased delivery schedule bringing 714 units online by the end of June. The initiative, approved in a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, is part of a wider provincial strategy that also encompasses e-taxis, tehsil-level bus networks and an e-bike scheme for government employees — positioning Punjab as the leading sub-national actor on green mobility in Pakistan.

 

By the Numbers

714 Buses Arriving by end of June 2025

10 Districts Covered in initial rollout

125,000+ Passengers on free transport so far

 

 

The 10 Districts and Delivery Timeline

Electric buses will be introduced in Attock, Bhakkar, Hafizabad, Khanewal, Layyah, Sheikhupura, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Mandi Bahauddin and Okara. The selection spans northern, central and southern Punjab, covering a geographic spread that reflects an intention to move beyond the province’s existing metro corridors in Lahore and Rawalpindi.

Delivery Phase	Buses	Status
Phase 1 — April 2025	100	Current month
Phase 2 — By mid-May 2025	350	Incoming
Phase 3 — By end of June 2025	264	Incoming
Total	714	By June 2025

 

The meeting also reviewed mass transit progress in Gujranwala and Faisalabad — two of Punjab’s largest secondary cities — alongside the new district deployments. Dedicated bus depots will be established in each division to serve as operational and maintenance hubs for the expanded fleet.

 

1,500 Tehsil-Level Buses: The Bigger Vision

Beyond the immediate 10-district rollout, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz directed officials to prepare a comprehensive plan to deploy 1,500 electric buses at the tehsil level across Punjab. This would represent a transformative expansion of the network, taking electric public transport into smaller urban centres that have historically been underserved by mass transit infrastructure. No implementation timeline for the tehsil-level fleet has been announced yet.

📊 Analysis — Scale of the Ambition: Punjab has over 140 tehsils. A fleet of 1,500 electric buses at this level would average approximately 10 buses per tehsil — a foundational network rather than a full-coverage system. The directive represents a planning commitment; procurement and financing timelines will determine the pace of actual deployment.

 

 

E-Taxis, E-Bikes and Free Transport Progress

Punjab’s broader electric mobility agenda includes several parallel tracks. The province’s e-taxi scheme is advancing with 194 vehicles expected to arrive in May and a further 208 in June. The programme provides an electric rideshare alternative to conventional taxi services in urban centres.

In-principle approval was also granted for an e-bike project targeted specifically at government employees — a scheme intended to reduce the use of petrol-powered personal vehicles for official commuting. The CM additionally directed authorities to accelerate completion and renovation of metro bus stations and approved updated designs for the facilities.

✅ Free Transport Programme — Current Results: More than 125,000 passengers served • 21 active routes • 3,560 trips completed to date • Programme: ‘Empower Her’ initiative reviewed at the same meeting

 

 

DISCLAIMER: All information in this article is based on publicly available data and official statements. This content is intended for general informational purposes only.