Last Updated: 28 September 2026

Aug 2026: Pendency in Driving Licence & RC services down to 0.36%; 99%+ applications disposed within prescribed timelines^[1]

Fleet expansion (2026): 1,265 new buses being added to PRTC (659) and PUNBUS (606)^[2]; 100 'PRTC Junior' midi buses for rural routes by Sept 2026^[3]
-- Govt bus fleet to grow to 3,546 (2,267 existing + 1,279 new); orders placed for 696 ordinary buses, ~300 due by Nov 2026 & rest by Dec 2026^[4]

60.56% jump in Transport Revenue from first 3 years of AAP Govt^[5]
-- Additional ₹5375.65 crore in 3 years

Punjab cancels 600 illegally-clubbed bus permits in Sept 2024, 30% linked to Sukhbir Badal (ex Deputy CM, Punjab)^[6]
-- 700+ stage carriage permits have been ordered to be de-clubbed in June 2025^[7]
-- Earlier discontinued the erroneously extended nearly 138 bus permits in 2023^[8]

¶ a. REFORMS

¶ 1. Punjab-Delhi Airport route^[9]

Started Volvo Bus Service to Delhi Airport
-- Running 19 buses as on 15 June 2022^[8:1]
-- Revenue Rs. 42.32 Cr earned by Govt from 15.06.2022 to 15.10.2023 on Punjab-Delhi Airport route

Private Monopoly Broken: Indo-Canadian (SAD president Badal owned) buses were run & passengers were fleeced money
-- Forced to slash its fare by 30%-45%
-- Additionally started providing refreshment & among other facilities to passengers^[10]

• Fare charged by PUNBUS/PRTC at present is ~Rs 1160/- per passenger

¶ 2. Breaking Political Mafia in Illegal routes

Govt AC buses have been started from Chandigarh to district headquarters to and fro^[8:2]

Process for cancellation of Illegal Private routes is ON

-- Punjab cancels 600 illegally-clubbed bus permits in Sept 2024, 30% linked to Sukhbir Badal (ex Deputy CM, Punjab)^[6:1]
-- 700+ stage carriage permits have been ordered to be de-clubbed in June 2025^[7:1]
-- Earlier discontinued the erroneously extended nearly 138 bus permits in 2023^[8:3]

Illegal routes of Mafia^[9:1]

• Private AC bus permits From District Headquarters to Chandigarh awarded under Scheme 1997
• Punjab HC on 21.10.2003 struck down this Scheme & Govt instead continued appeals agaisnt the order in Higher courts and it is still stuck in Court proceedings

Multiple illegal extension of Bus Routes^[9:2]

• Only 1 extensions of 24 kms in the permits allowed
• But multiple permits with many more extensions were given under influence of Political Mafia

¶ 3. New Mini Bus Routes

• 3000 New Bus Routes with employment for 10000 youth

¶ 4. Checking Leakages

Minister's flying squad^[11]

• 5 months: Reported 119 cases of ticket & diesel theft, plying of buses on unscheduled routes and mobile usage
• Disciplinary action has been taken against the reported drivers and conductors in all these cases

¶ b. Revenue

Dept Wise^[5:3]

Financial Year Wise

• 42% jump in Revenue in first 10 months of AAP Govt of Punjab Roadways (& PRTC) ^[13]
• ₹1,247.22 crore in April-Dec 2022 from ₹879.55 crore in April-Dec 2021

References:

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1. https://yespunjab.com/punjab-transport-department-records-99-timely-disposal-of-dl-rc-services-harpal-cheema/ (Punjab Govt Press Release, 19 Aug 2026) ↩︎

2. https://yespunjab.com/bhagwant-mann-govt-to-add-1265-buses-into-prtc-punbus-to-transform-public-transport-network-harpal-singh-cheema/ (Punjab Govt Press Release, 12 April 2026) ↩︎

3. https://yespunjab.com/punjab-to-add-100-prtc-junior-buses-by-sept-to-strengthen-rural-transport-harpal-cheema/ (Punjab Govt Press Release, 17 Aug 2026) ↩︎

4. https://www.rozanaspokesman.com/news/punjab/130726/punjab-set-to-become-indias-no-1-state-in-public-transport-infrastru.html ↩︎

5. https://www.babushahi.com/view-news.php?id=205689 (Punjab Govt Official Press Release) ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎

6. https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/punjab-transport-minister-laljit-singh-bhullar-illegal-clubbed-bus-permits-cancellation-2603530-2024-09-20 ↩︎ ↩︎

7. https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/transport-dept-cracks-down-on-clubbing-of-bus-permits/ ↩︎ ↩︎

8. https://www.babushahi.com/full-news.php?id=173664 ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎

9. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XV96oX8CN_U ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎

10. https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/jalandhar/punjab-governments-volvo-buses-to-delhi-airport-see-good-response-409066 ↩︎

11. https://www.babushahi.com/full-news.php?id=173249 ↩︎

12. https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/chandigarh-news/punjab-transport-department-records-rs-661-51-cr-hike-in-income-during-fy22-23-minister-bhullar-101680637856232.html ↩︎ ↩︎

13. https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/chandigarh-news/punjab-roadways-prtc-income-rose-by-42-in-10-months-transport-minister-101673896601344.html ↩︎