LAHORE: Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif has approved a five-year transport plan in Punjab. The Chief Minister presided over a special video link meeting on transport in which a review was made about the new modern transport system across the province.
It was decided in the meeting to introduce the latest ‘Automated Rapid Transport’ (ART) system across Punjab.
CM Punjab directed to undertake immediate trial run of ART. She was apprised in a briefing that the Automated Rapid Transport system is a successful mass transit system across the world including Malaysia, Abu Dhabi and Qatar. ART will require less space on the road than a normal bus.
The ART bus, consisting of three coaches, will cater a capacity of more than 300 passengers. It was further informed in the briefing that the bus will be charged in a few minutes while standing at the ART smart station. Fast charging, wi-fi, monitoring cameras and other facilities will be available for the passengers in ART.
ART will be a completely solarized transport system instead of conventional fuel . In the first phase, ART transport system will be introduced in Lahore, Faisalabad, Gujranwala including other cities. It was further informed in the briefing that the new transport system will be introduced in ten cities each in three phases. Feeder buses will also be run in every city along with the Automated Rapid Transport system.
The Chief Minister while speaking in the meeting said, “We want to complete Automated Rapid Transport system across Punjab in four years. A new transport system is necessary in every city to upgrade transport system in the province through innovation. The Punjab government strives to introduce an “end-to-end” system in every city. Automated Rapid Transport system is also the right of those living in small cities and we are determined to remove their deprivations. In addition, the modern transport system will improve the quality of peoples’ life.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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