The Punjab Masstransit Authority (PMA) is preparing a proposal to increase fares for the Lahore Metro Bus (Green Line), Orange Line Metro Train, and all feeder bus routes, officials confirmed on Sunday.

According to insiders, a detailed working paper on the fare hike will be presented in the upcoming PMA board meeting. The move comes as rising fuel, electricity, and maintenance costs continue to strain the provincial transport budget.

Under the proposed plan, the Metro Bus fare will rise from Rs. 30 to Rs. 40, while the Orange Line Metro Train fare will go up from Rs. 45 to Rs. 50. Feeder and Speedo bus routes are also expected to see an increase of Rs. 5. Once approved by the PMA board, the summary will be sent to the chief minister for final approval through the Transport Department.

Officials revealed that the Punjab government provides an annual subsidy of Rs. 21 billion to keep public transport systems in Lahore, Rawalpindi-Islamabad, and Multan operational. Currently, fare collection covers only 24 percent of total operational costs, while the government bears over 75 percent of the expenses.

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Previously, fare revenue made up around 32 percent of total costs, but the figure has declined sharply due to higher energy prices and increased maintenance expenditures.

If approved, the Punjab fare hike will be the first in several years and could impact thousands of daily commuters across the province.