To combat air pollution and provide affordable transportation, the Punjab government has unveiled two key projects: converting old motorcycles into electric bikes and expanding its electric bike distribution for students.
The government has increased the number of electric bikes available for students from 20,000 to 27,200, focusing on female students. The Transport Department has also announced that all female applicants will now be eligible to receive an electric bike. This initiative, introduced in March to support low-income students, initially approved 20,000 bikes, but the number was increased due to high demand.
In addition, the Punjab Transport Department plans to convert old petrol motorcycles into electric bikes to reduce emissions. Transport Secretary Ahmed Javed Qazi stated that the government will subsidize 50% of the conversion cost for owners. This process involves replacing petrol engines with battery-powered systems to promote cleaner air in Lahore.
Successful trials of the conversions have been conducted, and testing is ongoing at the University of Engineering and Technology (UET). The full rollout is expected to start after this phase. Qazi also mentioned that the Punjab Clean Air Program, supported by the World Bank, has allocated funds for this initiative.
These efforts highlight the Punjab government’s commitment to improving environmental conditions while making transportation more accessible and sustainable.