The Punjab Mass Transit Authority has confirmed the discontinuation of the province’s free public transport facility, with regular fares set to resume across all mass transit services from June 13, 2026, bringing an end to a subsidy that had been providing free daily travel to nearly 800,000 passengers across Punjab since its introduction in April.
The free travel facility was originally launched in April 2026 as a one-month public relief measure, introduced at a time of elevated inflation and rising petroleum prices to ease the financial burden on daily commuters across the province. Officials subsequently considered extending the scheme and prepared recommendations for the government’s consideration, but the final decision has been to discontinue the subsidy rather than renew it. The Punjab Mass Transit Authority confirmed the withdrawal despite no significant reduction in petroleum product prices nationally, meaning the underlying conditions that prompted the original relief measure have not materially changed since the scheme was put in place.
The scale of daily ridership under the free travel period reflects how heavily the initiative was used by the commuting public. Of the approximately 800,000 daily beneficiaries, around 290,000 were using the Orange Line Train without paying fares each day, while over 100,000 were travelling on the metro bus service free of charge. The remaining ridership was spread across Speedo and Green Bus services operating under the Punjab mass transit network. The return to paid fares from June 13 will affect this entire population of daily commuters, many of whom may have adjusted their travel habits and budgeting around the assumption of continued free access during the period when extension was being considered. The development comes as Punjab simultaneously advances several new green transport initiatives including the electric bike sharing service, the distribution of electric motorcycles to students, and the planned addition of 2,000 electric buses to the provincial fleet during the upcoming fiscal year.
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