Pakistan's Maryam Nawaz Flags Off 'First Trackless Tram', Internet Calls It 'Just A Bus'

(MENAFN- Live Mint) Maryam Nawaz , the chief minister of Pakistan 's Punjab, recently unveiled 'South Asia's first trackless tram', touted as a "subway on wheels." This innovative, solar-powered metro system, imported from China, operates without tracks or tickets. According to a report by Gulf News , it's a key part of Punjab's urban transport modernisation initiative, with plans to roll out the system in 30 cities across the region.

Last week, Ms Nawaz took the trackless tram for a test ride from Raiwind Road to Muslim Town in Lahore, assessing its performance in live traffic. Alongside Punjab Transport Minister Bilal Akbar, she reviewed technical aspects and emphasised the project's significance for future urban development.

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"Ladies and gentlemen, South Asia's first-ever Track-less tram soon starting its service in Lahore Punjab under Maryam Nawaz," the tweet shared by Nawaz read.

While officials hailed it as a revolutionary step in urban transportation, many internet users were not convinced and pointed out that a trackless tram is essentially a bus, questioning the hype surrounding the project.

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Many social media users poked fun at the perceived lack of originality, with some users comparing it to existing bus systems, highlighting that the "new" technology seemed more like a rebranded concept rather than an innovative solution.

A user wrote,“That's called a bus.”

Another user asked on X,“It's a bus. What does a trackless tram even mean?”

“Oh wow, a“track-less tram”. Basically a fancy bus with a dramatic flair! Lahore really reinventing the wheel there. Next, maybe South Asia's first“track-less train” (spoiler: also a bus). Meanwhile, in Indian cities, we're out here actually building metros, bullet trains, and expressways! But hey, props to Lahore for trying..maybe someday they'll figure out tracks too. Baby steps, guys, baby steps,” the third user wrote.

“Only Pakistanis can present a bus as train,” the fourth user remarked.

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“If you shape it like an engine then it doesn't become trackless train. It's just a bus mam,” the fifth user wrote.

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