Chandigarh, July 11 -- Punjab transport minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Saturday said the state government will add 1,279 buses to its public transport fleet, increasing the number of government buses from 2,267 to 3,546 by the end of this year.

Addressing a press conference, Cheema, who also holds the finance portfolio, said the expansion would mark a 56% increase in the state's fleet, claiming it to be the biggest expansion of government bus service in more than two decades.

"The government has already placed orders for 696 ordinary buses, of which 387 will be inducted into PUNBUS and 309 into the PEPSU Road Transport Corporation (PRTC). Around 300 of these buses are expected to become operational by November 2026, while the remaining...