LAHORE/GUJRAT: The expansion of the electric bus network from district headquarters to smaller towns is being rapidly undertaken to promote modern, environmentally-friendly public transport across the province.

Electric bus services have been launched on 13 routes in Khanewal, Khushab, Bhakkar, Attock, Mandi Bahauddin and Hafizabad districts. A total of 15 electric buses have been deployed in Khushab, while nine buses each have become operational in Khanewal, Bhakkar, Attock, Mandi Bahauddin and Hafizabad.

In Khushab, electric buses are operating on routes from the General Bus Stand to Girot Chowk, Mitha Tiwana and Mangowal.

In Khanewal, commuters have shown an enthusiastic response to the service operating on the Khanewal-Jahanian and Kabirwala routes.

In Bhakkar, nine electric buses are now running on routes connecting the General Bus Stand with Darya Khan and Behal. In Attock, the buses are operating on the POF Sanjwal-Hazro and Hakimabad-Attock Khurd routes.

In Mandi Bahauddin, electric buses have commenced operations on the Kuthiala Sheikhan-Rasul village and College Chowk-Manoo Chak routes; while in Hafizabad, nine buses are now serving the Jinnah Chowk and Ghora Chowk-Jalalpur Bhattian routes.

The Punjab government plans to expand the electric bus network to 14 additional districts by the end of July 2026. Ten electric buses each will begin operations in Chiniot, Layyah, Okara and Sialkot, while Lahore, Gujranwala and Multan will each receive 12 buses. Murree, Gujrat and Sheikhupura will each receive 11 buses during the month. Vehari, Kasur, Lodhran, Nankana Sahib and Narowal will also receive 11 electric buses each by the end of July.

An additional 488 electric buses are expected to arrive in Pakistan by the end of August 2026 and will subsequently become operational in various districts across Punjab.

Currently, 400 electric buses are operating across 18 districts of Punjab, while work is progressing rapidly to induct 1,500 buses into the province’s public transport fleet.

Meanwhile, the local administration of Gujrat has proposed to introduce electric buses on two more routes, in Dinga Town and Langay, in addition to the already approved four routes across the district.

A total of 11 electric buses have arrived in Gujrat, however, their charging station is yet to become operational at the General Bus Stand on the Old GT Road.

Official sources said that the Punjab government had already issued directions to the Punjab Transport Company (PTC) and the district administration to complete arrangements to start the service in Gujrat by July 15.

They said that the concerned authorities had been making arrangements for the installation of charging stations for the first fleet of 11 buses at the general bus stand, where at least three terminals had been dedicated for the purpose and the 11 buses were parked at the site.

The buses will initially ply on the Gujrat to Lalamusa, Jalalpur Jattan, Mungowal and Daulat Nagar routes as around 60 bus stops had already been completed along these routes.

Moreover, on the request of the elected representative of Dinga of Kharian tehsil and Langay of Kunjah tehsil, Gujrat Deputy Commissioner Nurulain Qureshi approved two new routes in the district and the proposal had been sent to the Punjab government for further necessary approvals.

At least 14 new bus stops have been proposed along the 37km long Gujrat-Dunga route and some 11 stops are to be built along the 23km long Gujrat-Langay route.

A senior official of the Road Transport Authority (RTA) told Dawn that out of the total 73 kanals of the general bus stand, at least 28 kanals had been dedicated for 28 electric buses and their charging stations.

However, he said that since a portion of the Jalalpur Jattan Road from the Kutchery Chowk to Boley was undergoing uplift work with a stormwater pipeline being laid down, the buses could use some other route to ply on the Gujrat to Jalalpur Jattan route.

He added that the concerned authorities had already completed the survey of two newly-approved routes and now the PTC had to approve them.

Published in Dawn, July 6th, 2026