Chandigarh, March 23: The Punjab Roadways Transport Corporation (PRTC) has set an ambitious target to increase its annual income by 57 percent through fleet expansion and modernized revenue collection. Following a meeting with AAP National Convener Arvind Kejriwal, PRTC Chairman Harpal Juneja stated that the corporation is preparing to induct 659 new buses into its service, a move that will bring the total fleet strength to over 1,850 vehicles.
The Chairman affirmed that the induction of new buses is part of a broader strategy to improve public connectivity while maintaining the state’s welfare commitments. Juneja noted that the free travel scheme for women has already benefited 34.53 crore passengers to date. To ensure financial transparency and curb revenue leakage, the corporation plans to procure 2,200 automatic fare collection and online ticketing machines for its entire network.
Operational costs are also expected to decrease as the corporation shifts toward sustainable energy. Juneja maintained that solar plants will be installed at the PRTC head office in Patiala and across all regional depots, a project estimated to save approximately Rs 97 lakh in annual electricity expenses. Additionally, the corporation is diversifying its income streams by establishing retail petroleum outlets at three strategic locations and developing a new sub-depot at Daula under the Bathinda division.
“The recruitment process for new employees is currently underway to support this expansion,” Juneja declared during the briefing. He further maintained that future infrastructure developments, including modern bus stands, would be executed through Public-Private Partnership (PPP) models and collaboration with non-governmental organizations to ensure high-quality facilities for commuters.
