Punjab to add 100 PRTC Junior buses by Sept to boost rural transport
Babushahi Bureau
Chandigarh, August 17, 2026: Punjab Transport Minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Monday announced that 100 new ‘PRTC Junior’ buses will be added to the fleet by mid-September, with the move aimed at improving public transport connectivity in rural areas of the state.
The announcement came during a review meeting with senior officials of the Punjab Transport Department, where the minister assessed ongoing infrastructure upgrades and plans to expand public transport services.
Cheema said the fully built midi buses are being manufactured and supplied by Eicher and will be inducted into the PEPSU Road Transport Corporation (PRTC) fleet within the next month.
During the meeting, the minister directed officials to explore innovative measures to improve the quality of public transport while simultaneously strengthening revenue generation for PRTC and PUNBUS to ensure their long-term financial stability.
He said the Punjab Government is undertaking a major expansion of the state-owned bus fleet, with 1,279 new government buses being added. According to Cheema, the expansion will increase the number of government buses in the state from 2,267 to 3,546, making it the largest addition to the fleet in two decades.
The minister also highlighted the government’s efforts to improve connectivity for NRIs, international travellers and regular commuters through premium airport bus services.
He said 15 premium airport buses, including Volvo coaches operating from Jalandhar and Ludhiana to Delhi Airport, have already been rolled out. Cheema claimed that the initiative had helped break the “stranglehold of the transport mafia” while providing commuters with a more convenient travel option.
The minister stressed that expanding services must go hand in hand with improving the financial position of PRTC and PUNBUS. He directed officials to identify new revenue streams while ensuring that service quality and accessibility remain central to the expansion programme.
The review meeting was attended by Transport Secretary Varun Roojam, PUNBUS Managing Director Rajiv Kumar Gupta, PRTC Managing Director Manisha Rana, Additional Managing Director Navdeep Kumar and PRTC General Manager, Chandigarh, Amanvir Tiwana, among other senior officials.