Gujrat city may have to wait until the end of 2025 to benefit from Punjab’s electric bus initiative, Dawn reported.
In the second phase of the project, 200 e-buses will be distributed to nine Punjab cities, including Gujjar Khan, Jhelum, Chakwal, Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, Rahim Yar Khan, Toba Tek Singh, Jhang and Rajanpur. However, Gujrat, along with Sialkot, Hafizabad and Narowal, has not been included.
Officials said Gujrat could eventually receive at least 28 electric buses by December 2025. Proposed routes include Gujrat city to Lalamusa, Jalalpur Jattan, Mungowal and Daulat Nagar, with potential future expansion.
Regular commuters on these routes have been urging the local administration and political representatives to accelerate the introduction of modern transport.
According to the Punjab Transport Department, around 206 e-buses will be provided across the Gujranwala and Gujrat regions, alongside an investment of Rs. 7.5 billion for charging stations and Rs. 8.5 billion for bus procurement.
Allocation plans show Gujranwala will receive 88 buses, Sialkot 45, Gujrat 28, Hafizabad 16, Mandi Bahauddin 12, Narowal 7 and Wazirabad 7. The Punjab government launched the service on the Gujranwala-Wazirabad route earlier this month, marking the start of the first phase.