The Punjab government is set to add a massive fleet of 659 buses to the PEPSU Road Transport Corporation (PRTC) and 606 buses to PUNBUS to significantly improve connectivity across Punjab.
State transport minister Harpal Singh Cheema said 250 buses were recently added to the fleet under the Kilometre (KM) Scheme. He said, “This initiative was exclusively extended to residents of Punjab to generate maximum employment opportunities within the state. Under this scheme, private individuals owning these buses were given the freedom to have their vehicles fabricated according to their own preferences, provided they strictly complied with all government standards and safety norms.”
Cheema added, “To achieve the complete target of 659 buses for PRTC, a tender process is underway to procure an additional 309 standard buses alongside 100 midibuses, ensuring a comprehensive upgrade to the regional transport infrastructure.”
Providing a breakdown of the 606 buses designated for PUNBUS, the minister outlined a systematic procurement plan designed to optimise operations.
Of the total, 387 buses will be directly added to the general PUNBUS fleet to immediately address the growing demand for public transit across various routes. The remaining additions to the PUNBUS fleet will be executed under the KM Scheme to further boost operational efficiency and route coverage, Cheema said in a statement.
{{/usCountry}}Of the total, 387 buses will be directly added to the general PUNBUS fleet to immediately address the growing demand for public transit across various routes. The remaining additions to the PUNBUS fleet will be executed under the KM Scheme to further boost operational efficiency and route coverage, Cheema said in a statement.
{{/usCountry}}He said, “This specific phase includes the induction of 19 PUNBUS Volvo buses and 100 HVAC buses, ensuring comfortable travel options for passengers. Furthermore, this expansion will be rounded out with the addition of 100 ordinary buses under the KM scheme, bringing the grand total of new PUNBUS vehicles to 606.”
The transport minister said the addition of new buses in PRTC and PUNBUS fleet promised to offer a more comfortable, reliable and frequent travel experience for daily commuters while simultaneously boosting local entrepreneurial opportunities and state revenue.