Chandigarh, July 12 -- 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 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 buses will be inducted by the end of December 2026," the minister said. He shared that 100 medium-sized buses had already been procured for PRTC to strengthen connectivity in urban and rural areas. "These buses will enter service by September, taking the total number of directly procured buses to 796," he added. Besides direct purchases, another 483 buses will be inducted on lease under the kilometre scheme. More than 250 leased buses were already operational in the state, while another 150 buses, including 100 ordinary and 50 air-conditioned buses, were expected to be added by October, he added. Along with expanding the fleet, the state government will also introduce advanced technologies, including dash cameras, internal CCTV cameras, GPS tracking systems and UPI QR code-based electronic ticketing, to improve commuter safety, convenience and last-mile connectivity, he added. Women account for around 54% of passengers travelling on government buses and the installation of CCTV cameras will enhance their safety, Cheema said. Satellite-based travel pattern surveys will identify underserved routes, particularly in rural and remote areas, to improve connectivity in those stretches, he said....