Punjab set to finalize E-Taxi beneficiaries through e-balloting

LAHORE: The Punjab government has reached the critical phase of its first electric taxi, or e-taxi, initiative, as government officials have confirmed that e-balloting would soon be conducted to identify successful applicants.

This was announced in a high-level steering committee meeting presided over by Provincial Transport Minister Bilal Akbar Khan.

According to officials, the response to the plan has been overwhelming, with over 66,000 initial registrations and more than 28,000 applications submitted and verified.

This plan will be supported by a subsidy of Rs 3.5 billion and will focus on upgrading public transportation systems as well as increasing clean mobility through the use of Chinese-origin electric vehicles.

Describing the project as an achievement, Minister Bilal Akbar Khan stated, “This project is not only about clean transportation, but it’s also about economic empowerment, especially for youth and women. The government wants this to become a model project for the whole country,” she said.

Under the pilot stage, a total of 1,100 electric taxis are going to be distributed. These include 700 for fleet owners, 400 for private owners, of which 100 are meant for women. The government is providing five-year interest-free loans, whereby the government will pay all the interest on these loans.