CM distributes e-taxi keys

Maryam announces Green Bus service in every tehsil of Punjab

LAHORE:

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has launched the country's first e-taxi scheme by distributing keys among selected beneficiaries, including women, in a ceremony.

The chief minister inspected the electric vehicles provided under the scheme and enquired about their technical features.

In the first phase, 1,100 electric vehicles are being provided under the scheme.

The government is paying 50 per cent of the down payment for male and 60% for female drivers.

A 30% quota is reserved for women with a distinct vehicle colour.

The government is also bearing the cost of vehicle registration, fitness tests and token tax.

The loan will be repaid in installments over five years.

To ensure the safety of drivers and passengers, each e-taxi has a panic button linked to the Punjab Safe Cities Authority.

The e-taxis are being registered with online ride-hailing platforms. Fast chargers are being installed at various locations for the vehicles that are equipped with cameras, Wi-Fi and charging ports along with digital payment facilities.

Addressing the ceremony, the chief minister announced that the Green Bus service would be launched in every tehsil of Punjab.

She said a trackless train project would also be launched soon in the province.

She said the environment-friendly e-taxi scheme would provide employment opportunities, particularly to women.

The chief minister said five years was too short a period for public service. "My desire is to serve the people in a way that my name is remembered with respect in history," she added.

She expressed satisfaction over allocating quota for women in the scheme, saying they often hesitate to begin taxi driving due to fear. "I urge the women of Punjab to remove fear from their hearts. The government stands with every mother, sister and daughter. No one needs to feel threatened," she said, adding that strict action would be taken against anyone attempting to harm women.

She said the Green Electric Buses had revolutionised Punjab's transport system and become a model for others. As many as 1,500 buses are being added, with another 1,100 to join the fleet later. Work is under way on metrobus projects in Faisalabad and Gujranwala, while students, women, senior citizens and persons with disabilities are provided free travel on the buses.

The chief minister said the government is providing a subsidy of Rs4 billion under the e-taxi scheme that would enable drivers to earn Rs150,000 to Rs200,000 per month.

Referring to inflation, she said the upward trend witnessed in 2024 had stabilised in 2025 and was now declining.

The chief minister added that smog-control measures had yielded visible results, leading to improved public health indicators.