Punjab to roll out 3,000 electric buses in 91 tehsils by June 2027, says CM Maryam Nawaz

Punjab’s provincial government has green‑lit an ambitious expansion of its electric public‑transport fleet, aiming to have 3,000 e‑buses operating across 91 tehsils by June 2027. The rollout will start in January 2027, with a dedicated depot and charging hub planned for each tehsil, according to Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz.

Background

The drive to electrify Punjab’s mass‑transport system began in 2023, when the province introduced a pilot program of 150 battery‑electric buses in Lahore and Faisalabad. Those early units demonstrated lower operating costs and a noticeable dip in local air‑pollution levels, prompting the provincial cabinet to earmark additional funding in the 2024‑25 budget for a wider rollout.

Since then, the provincial energy department has signed memoranda of understanding with several domestic and overseas EV manufacturers, and the Punjab Sustainable Mobility Initiative (PSMI) was created to coordinate procurement, infrastructure development, and driver training. The latest announcement doubles the target fleet size, raising the total number of electric buses from the earlier goal of 1,500 to 3,000, and extends the network into semi‑urban and rural tehsils that previously relied almost exclusively on diesel minibusses.

What it means

For commuters in smaller towns such as Kot Lakhpat, Jandiala Sherkhan and Chiniot, the new e‑buses will provide a cleaner, more reliable alternative to aging diesel vehicles that often break down or emit thick smoke. With dedicated depots, each tehsil will have on‑site charging stations, reducing downtime and ensuring that buses can maintain regular schedules even during peak travel periods.

Environmentally, the shift could cut provincial diesel consumption by an estimated 150,000 litres per year, translating into a reduction of roughly 400 tonnes of CO₂ emissions annually. That aligns with Punjab’s contribution to Pakistan’s National Climate Change Policy, which calls for a 30 percent decline in transport‑related emissions by 2030.

Economically, the project is set to spark job creation in several sectors: local firms will be contracted to build and maintain the depots, technicians will be trained for battery management, and ancillary industries—such as battery recycling and parts manufacturing—are expected to see a surge in demand. Moreover, the procurement of 1,500 additional buses in the second phase opens market opportunities for Pakistani EV assemblers, potentially reducing reliance on imports and keeping more capital within the province.

What happens next

The first batch of 1,500 e‑buses will be delivered to the 91 tehsils beginning in January 2027, with the remaining 1,500 slated for deployment by June 2027. Funding will come from a mix of provincial allocations, federal green‑energy grants, and soft loans from development banks. Provincial officials have set up a monitoring committee to track rollout progress, address supply‑chain bottlenecks, and ensure that charging infrastructure meets safety standards. Should the schedule stay on track, Punjab could become the South Asian benchmark for large‑scale electric public transport, prompting neighboring provinces and states to adopt similar models.