LAHORE: The caretaker government of Punjab has granted approval for an increase in fares for the Orange Line train and Multan metro bus, as per recent reports.
According to media sources, the fare for the Orange Line Metro Train project will be raised by five rupees. Similarly, a five-rupee increase has been sanctioned for the Multan metro bus fares. Additionally, the caretaker Punjab government has approved a five-rupee hike in feeder bus fares.
The decision to raise fares has been attributed to the recent surge in fuel prices. With this move, the Punjab Mass Transit Authority anticipates an annual income boost of Rs. 82.85 million from additional fare revenue. However, fares for the Lahore and Rawalpindi-Islamabad metro bus services will remain unaffected.
Previously, caretaker Chief Minister Punjab Mohsin Naqvi had rejected a proposal for a Rs. 15 increase in Metrobus and Speedobus service fares. Naqvi stressed the need for innovative revenue-generating strategies, directing efforts towards the construction and repair of metrobus tracks in Rawalpindi and Lahore.
Furthermore, Naqvi gave preliminary approval for the introduction of electric buses at Lahore Railway Station and Tagrin Town, with 27 electric buses slated for operation in Lahore under a pilot project supported by the World Bank. The Punjab government has also decided to introduce electric buses for the Islamabad-Rawalpindi metro bus service. During a meeting of the Punjab Mass Transit Authority, a proposal to deploy diesel hybrid regenerative buses was also reviewed.
In response to the shortage of human resources within the Punjab Mass Transit Authority, Naqvi ordered immediate measures to address the issue, reaffirming the government’s commitment to providing quality and safe travel facilities to the public.
