Chandigarh: Punjab Finance and Transport Minister Harpal Singh Cheema today flagged off five new super integral Volvo coach buses of PUNBUS, which will operate from Jalandhar and Ludhiana to Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport. The objective of this initiative is to provide comfortable, safe and affordable travel facilities to international travelers, NRIs and common travelers, which will further strengthen the public transport network of Punjab.

What did Harpal Singh Cheema say?

On this occasion, Transport Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said, “This important initiative will completely eliminate the influence of transport mafia in the state as well as provide great relief to international travelers and daily commuters.”

Throwing light on the thinking behind starting the bus service to the international airport, Harpal Singh Cheema said that the Punjab government under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann is fully committed to public welfare and strengthening public transport facilities. He said that the bus service to the airport was first started from Jalandhar bus stand by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann and former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on June 15, 2022.

The Transport Minister further announced that a total of 15 new Super Integral Coach Buses are being inducted into the PUNBUS fleet by the Transport Department for the convenience of the general public and the NRI community. “The first five premium buses have been successfully flagged off today and the remaining buses will further enhance the facilities and comfort of passengers in the coming days,” he said.

Giving information about the timetable, Harpal Singh Cheema said that these five new luxury buses will leave from Jalandhar bus stand every day at 6:50 am, 7:40 am, 9:10 am, 2:27 pm and 11:30 pm. Their departure time from Ludhiana bus stand has been fixed at 8:20 am, 9:15 am, 11:20 am, 4:20 pm and 12:20 am.

Return services to Punjab from Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport will be available at 4:40 am, 9:00 am, 5:20 pm, 7:30 pm and 9:40 pm. This will provide a comfortable, safe and convenient travel experience to the people of Punjab and NRIs to the international airport at very affordable fares.

Giving information about the efforts of the Punjab Government to modernize public transport, Harpal Singh Cheema said that a comprehensive program of expansion of bus fleet is already underway across the state. He informed that a total of 696 new buses are being inducted into the operations of Punjab Roadways, PUNBUS and PRTC.

PRTC is being strengthened

He said that 100 new ordinary buses, 100 new HVAC (air conditioned) buses and 10 additional super integral coach buses are being inducted under the Kilometer Scheme. Under this scheme, PRTC is being strengthened with 245 new ordinary buses. These new buses will significantly improve the quality, accessibility and reliability of public transport services across Punjab.

On this occasion, former MLA Pawan Kumar Tinu and Director of State Transport, Punjab and Managing Director of PUNBUS Rajeev Kumar Gupta and other dignitaries were also present.