Punjab to add 1,279 buses to govt fleet by year-end: Transport Minister Cheema

Chandigarh, Jul 11 (PTI) Punjab Transport Minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Saturday said the state government would add 1,279 buses to its public transport fleet, which would increase the number of government buses from 2,267 to 3,546 by the end of this year. Addressing a press conference, Cheema, who also holds the finance portfolio, said the expansion would mark a 56 per cent increase in the state's fleet, claiming it to be the biggest expansion of government bus service in more than two decades. The government has already placed orders for 696 ordinary buses, including 387 for PUNBUS and 309 for the PEPSU Road Transport Corporation (PRTC). Around 300 buses are expected to become operational by November, while the remaining will be inducted by December, the minister said. A fleet of 100 medium-sized buses have already been procured for the PRTC, which are likely to be deployed by September, taking the total number of directly purchased buses to 796, Cheema said. Besides direct purchases, another 483 buses will be inducted on lease under the kilometre scheme. More than 250 leased buses are already operational in the state, while another 150 buses, including 100 ordinary and 50 air-conditioned buses, are expected to be added by October, he added. The new buses will feature dash cameras, CCTV cameras, GPS tracking systems and electronic ticketing machines with UPI-based QR code payment options. Women account for around 54 per cent of passengers travelling on government buses and the installation of CCTV cameras would enhance their safety, Cheema said. Satellite-based travel pattern surveys will identify the underserved routes, particularly in the rural and remote areas, to improve connectivity in those stretches, he said. According to Cheema, the expansion will increase the availability of government buses from about seven per lakh population to nearly 12 per lakh population, enabling higher frequency on busy routes and extending services to villages and towns that currently lack scheduled government bus connectivity. The move is aimed at meeting the rising passenger demand, particularly after the introduction of free bus travel for women, Cheema said. PTI VSD SMV ARI