Since taking office the Bhagwant Singh Mann government in Punjab has prioritised transforming the transport network across the state with a series of ambitious projects and policies aimed at improving connectivity rural and urban mobility road safety public transport infrastructure and even air connectivity in ways that together represent one of the most comprehensive overhauls of transport in recent decades under his leadership the state has seen large scale road construction and repair programmes major expansions of bus services policies to increase accessibility especially for women and students along with institutional reforms to ensure quality and safety on the roads.
In 2025 the government launched one of its largest infrastructure initiatives when it announced that the state would construct a staggering 44,920 kilometres of roads with an estimated budget of Rs 16,209 crore which was described as the biggest road project in the history of Punjab targeting rural link roads PWD roads urban roads under civic bodies and extensive stretches under the Punjab Mandi Board with the objective of connecting every village town and city improving mobility for goods and people and boosting the rural economy by integrating isolated areas into the broader transport network this expansive push was accompanied by provisions requiring five year maintenance obligations from contractors to ensure durable high quality road surfaces and world class safety features.
In addition to this unprecedented new construction work the Mann government had already embarked on a massive repair and upgrade scheme earlier in 2025 aimed at rehabilitating 19,491 kilometres of rural link roads at a cost of over Rs 4,150 crore with five year maintenance included and modern features like white marking and sign boards meant to improve safety transparency and local access for farmers students and daily commuters alike. Alongside these major network expansions smaller but strategically important road projects have been initiated across constituencies such as the construction of four rural link roads in Phagwara in 2025 aimed at strengthening local connectivity and supporting socio-economic activity in those regions.
The government has also expedited work on major arterial roads including the four laning of the Patiala-Sirhind road at an approximate cost of Rs 119.6 crore a project designed to eliminate accident prone zones widen the existing carriageway and improve traffic flow between key regional hubs with completion scheduled in 2026. To ensure that the quality of this vast road building drive is sustained the state administration constituted rural quality oversight mechanisms including flying squads composed of senior officials tasked with regular inspections of road construction and maintenance works and enforcing technical standards and accountability across the public works and mandi board departments a novel institutional step for enhancing infrastructure delivery and avoiding substandard work.
Alongside the physical expansion and rehabilitation of roads the Mann government launched a dedicated Sadak Surakhya Force in early 2024 aimed specifically at enhancing road safety and emergency response across the state this force of trained personnel patrolling thousands of kilometres of accident prone highways with well-equipped vehicles contributed to quicker rescue operations reduced fatalities and better traffic law enforcement reflecting the administration’s understanding that transport network improvements must also go hand in hand with safety and emergency preparedness.
In parallel with these infrastructure projects the state has also pursued reforms and enhancements in public transport services recognising that roads alone do not complete a transport network without reliable and accessible services for commuters under the Mann government free travel schemes for women have become a hallmark of the transport policy since 2024 with women availing tens of crores of free journeys on state roadways and associated bus services at a cost of over a thousand crore rupees thereby significantly increasing mobility for women across Punjab and opening up opportunities for education employment healthcare and social engagement without the barrier of transport costs together with free travel for women the government in 2025 introduced free bus services for students particularly those attending government schools to reduce absenteeism improve access to education and support families in remote areas who previously faced challenges due to transport expenses.
To support this expansion of services the government has been actively augmenting its bus fleet with plans to add over 1,200 new buses to the Punjab Roadways and PRTC fleet including a mix of standard and mini buses to serve both major routes and feeder services in smaller towns and rural areas and also improving passenger amenities by upgrading bus stands in larger cities to more modern and efficient facilities that provide shelter better information and improved boarding experiences for travellers recognising that public transport infrastructure must evolve alongside vehicle additions to create an integrated user friendly system. As part of the drive to invigorate rural connectivity and simultaneously create employment opportunities the Mann government revived approximately 3,000 defunct bus routes across the state in 2025 a move that not only restored transport options in previously underserved areas but also enabled direct self-employment generation for over 10,000 youth by facilitating easy access to loans for purchasing buses and operating these routes thereby blending transport policy with economic empowerment for young entrepreneurs and addressing unemployment challenges while strengthening the transport grid.
In consolidating public transport operations the government has also taken regulatory actions against unsafe and non-compliant vehicles by cancelling permits for hundreds of buses involved in violations of rules and periodic reviews of the service market to ensure fairness compliance and safety for passengers and operators alike a measure that reflects a commitment to structured and sustainable transport governance. Beyond road and bus services the Mann government has engaged with broader connectivity initiatives including advocacy and support for air travel expansion from Punjab’s primary air hub Shaheed Bhagat Singh International Airport in Mohali emphasising the importance of increasing international flight options to destinations with large Punjabi diasporas such as Canada the United States the United Kingdom and Australia a strategy aimed at boosting tourism trade investment and economic opportunities by directly linking the state to global markets and making international travel more accessible for residents and non-resident Punjabis while also receiving financial dividends from collaborative operational successes at the airport that signal growing passenger traffic and operational scale.
While the state government does not directly control rail infrastructure projects it has supported and welcomed key rail developments that enhance regional connectivity including the approval and progress of new regional rail links and services that improve commuter and freight movement across Punjab complementing the road and bus network. Taken together these transport network initiatives under the Bhagwant Singh Mann government in 2024 and 2025 illustrate a multi-faceted strategy that spans building tens of thousands of kilometres of high-quality roads enhancing rural and urban linkages upgrading public transport fleets expanding social access through free travel policies strengthening safety through dedicated forces and oversight mechanisms fostering youth employment via service expansions and aligning with national and global connectivity priorities through airport development and support for rail connectivity efforts this integrated approach aims not only to improve physical infrastructure but also to make mobility more accessible equitable and economically productive for all segments of Punjab’s population and lays foundations for sustained growth social inclusion and regional integration well into the future.
