Women, students, senior citizens and persons with disabilities will travel free of cost on Punjab’s first electric bus service, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif announced on Monday while inaugurating the project in Sahiwal.
After riding one of the new buses herself, the chief minister called the initiative “a milestone in modern and affordable public transport.” She said 30 buses have been allocated for the city and 62 for the division, with the regular fare set at Rs20 for other passengers.
Punjab Transport and Mass Transit Minister Bilal Akbar Khan said 16 buses will run initially on four routes, carrying more than 25,000 passengers daily.
Each vehicle features Wi-Fi, CCTV cameras, charging ports, ramps for differently abled passengers and a separate women’s compartment, supported by a new charging station in Sahiwal.
Separately, Punjab CM inaugurated eco-friendly electric buses in Sargodha. She stated that 60 electric buses will run in Sargodha city and 105 buses have been allocated for the four districts of the Sargodha division, which include Bhakkar, Mianwali, and Khushab.
There will be dedicated seating areas for women, and the fare for the electric bus service will be set at Rs 20 for males. It will offer free travel to children, students, women, and senior citizens, she said.
Read more: Sargodha welcomes green transit with CM's electric Bus initiative
48 buses have arrived in Sarghoda as of September 17th, and five bays at the General Bus Stand have been vacated to make space.
For now, 33 buses will run as phase one of the bus rollout, with an additional 15 in phase two, according to a reporter working for Express Tribune.
A temporary charging station has been established in Sargodha; however, the existence of only one charging station may cause logistical difficulties, he adds. The Government has allocated an area near Chak 91 for the establishment of a permanent charging port, which a separate local third party will install.
Distribution of buses across tehsils will be as follows: 10 each for Bhalwal, Bhera, and Kot Momin, 9 for Sillanwali. Five separate routes in Sargodha city have already been decided, with all of them originating from Chak 91 and going to Bhalwal/Bhera, Sillanwali, Kot Momin, Tehsil Sahiwal, and Shahpur city.
The government plans on releasing funds to establish another bus terminal at Chak 90 South.
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About Yutong Bus
Yutong (officially, Zhengzhou Yutong Group Co., Ltd.) is a Chinese manufacturer headquartered in Zhengzhou, Henan. A manufacturer of commercial vehicles, especially electric buses, it is one of the largest bus manufacturers in the world.
According to the manufacturer, the Yutong bus features a robust build made with lightweight materials, ensuring that energy consumption is lowered by 10% with a corresponding 10-20% weight reduction. The model is aerodynamic, allowing for less battery loss due to wind resistance. As for safety measures, the frame is made of high-strength materials to lessen the harm done to passengers in the event of an accident, the manufacturer states. According to the CM, the buses are also equipped with Wi-Fi, air conditioning, wheelchair ramps, and charging ports.
The Government of Punjab has entered into a contract for the acquisition of these buses. According to the reporter, a local third-party administration has hired drivers and will be responsible for the maintenance of the buses themselves.
The revenue generated from the fare payments will be collected in the government treasury. The government will then make a payment every kilometer to the third party. Details regarding these payments are unknown, he said.
Overall, the people of Sargodha were happy with the inauguration and the new services provided. While the logistical difficulties of only having one charging point available for a 100+ fleet of electric buses are a cause for concern, this initiative is a move towards cheaper, greener, and eco-friendly transport solutions.
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