RAWALPINDI: Rawalpindi witnessed a significant milestone as Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif officially launched the Electric Bus Project aimed at transforming public transportation. The initiative seeks to offer residents a modern, affordable, and eco-friendly travel option.
During the inauguration ceremony, CM Maryam Nawaz shared that an initial fleet of forty-five electric buses has arrived, with additional units expected shortly. She announced that a total of approximately eighty state-of-the-art electric buses will soon be operational, allowing commuters to travel for just twenty rupees. Special provisions will enable women, senior citizens over sixty, and persons with disabilities to travel free of charge.
The electric buses will operate on key routes including Railway Station to Humrahi Bus Terminal, Fawara Chowk to Koral Chowk, Sadar Station to Munawar Colony, and Marir Chowk to Motorway. These buses are fully air-conditioned, equipped with free Wi-Fi, and feature charging ports for mobile devices. Additionally, facilities such as wheelchairs and CCTV-monitored ladies’ compartments will ensure safety and convenience for all passengers.
Maryam Nawaz emphasized that the buses will provide a secure environment, particularly for women, with dedicated spaces to prevent harassment. She projected that by year’s end, around eleven hundred electric buses will be plying Punjab’s roads.Highlighting ongoing infrastructure projects, she announced the upcoming completion of a twenty-five-kilometer, signal-free corridor from Islamabad Expressway to Peshawar Road by April next year, costing approximately thirty billion rupees. This corridor will include nine underpasses, three flyovers, and will benefit around two hundred thousand daily commuters.
The Nawaz Sharif Flyover is also under construction to ease traffic congestion in Rawalpindi. She praised the efforts of ‘Suthra Punjab’ workers in maintaining a cleaner city and underscored the government’s commitment to healthcare, mentioning the recently completed cardiology hospital in Murree and plans to build a cancer hospital in Rawalpindi.
Further development projects include a vast 20,000-kilometer road network across Punjab within a year, the construction of one thousand inter-village roads, and the Thal Expressway connecting Rajana to Bakhar. The government has also launched the Wahga to Lahore Corridor, a modern transportation link.
Maryam Nawaz announced the ongoing construction of 100,000 housing units under the Apna Ghar Scheme and highlighted the government’s efforts to establish Pakistan’s first government-funded cancer hospital, which is nearing completion. She also mentioned the establishment of twenty new cardiology centers across the province and the final stages of the Rawalpindi Children’s Hospital.
Moreover, twelve hospitals are being set up within the Nawaz Sharif Medical District to treat patients with incurable diseases. The government is also distributing ration cards to 1.5 million families and providing free education to 80,000 talented students in Punjab, demonstrating its commitment to comprehensive development and social welfare.
