LAHORE: The Government of Punjab has decided to launch free transport services in 17 districts lacking public transit facilities, in a move aimed at providing relief to citizens. The decision was taken during a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif in Lahore on Tuesday.
During the meeting, the chief minister approved a pilot project for free transport in Gujranwala, Multan, and Sialkot, while also directing authorities to take additional steps to maximize public relief. A detailed report on the impact of oil prices on transport fares was presented, alongside a briefing on ongoing price control measures across the province.
The meeting reviewed prices of 23 essential food items, including vegetables, fruits and pulses, across all districts. Officials informed that flour prices in Punjab remain significantly lower compared to Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, while stocks of pulses and chickpeas are sufficient. Maryam Nawaz directed a review of DC rates for food items, ordered strict action against hoarding, and tasked the relevant authorities, including PERA, with regulating LPG prices. She also sought a report within 24 hours to determine transport fares per kilometer and urged citizens not to purchase goods at prices higher than officially notified rates.
Expressing concern over fatalities linked to open drainage, the chief minister ordered assistant commissioners to conduct immediate surveys of drains and ponds in every locality, with commissioners instructed to submit daily photographic reports. She warned that the presence of unsafe drainage would be treated as administrative failure and directed officials to ensure safer streets across all union councils, while also focusing on tree plantation, street lighting, zebra crossings, green belts and other civic indicators.
The meeting also reviewed progress on ongoing beautification and upgradation projects across Punjab, with directions to complete all such initiatives by June. Projects in areas including Ichhra Bazaar, Faisalabad and Rahim Yar Khan were assessed. The chief minister expressed satisfaction over improvements in Faisalabad’s Ghanta Ghar area and appreciated the quality of work in Attock, while voicing displeasure over cleanliness conditions in Jhang and ordering immediate action.
Focusing on sanitation, the meeting discussed progress under the Suthra Punjab Programme. Maryam Nawaz directed further improvements in cleanliness across the province, set a two-week deadline to address complaints of littering, and ordered the resumption of cleanliness campaigns in cemeteries. Officials also briefed the meeting on the introduction of digital mapping and AI-based monitoring systems to track sanitation workers in real time, along with plans to implement a beat system and launch initiatives such as the “Suthra Punjab Hero” recognition and an AI-based waste detection automobile pilot project.
