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.
“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 Ms Nawaz read.
See the video here:
Ladies and gentlemen,
South Asia’s first ever Track-less tram soon starting its service in Lahore
Punjab under Maryam Nawaz 📈📈📈 pic.twitter.com/w82grwLzT5— Maryam Nawaz HQ (@MaryamNawazHQ) August 7, 2025
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. 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.
One user wrote, “I love how countries just reinvent buses and give them hi-tech sounding names like ‘autonomous rail-less transportation hypercarriage’ and shill accounts just eat it up.” Another commented, “It’s a bus. What does a trackless tram even mean?”
A third said, “U know, for a hundred years now we call that a bus. Maybe read more dictionaries.”
Users also added a community note, linking to Wikipedia, which described the “trackless tram” as an articulated bus. Notably, an articulated bus is a type of bus that has a flexible section, allowing it to bend and turn more easily. This design enables the bus to carry more passengers while navigating through tight spaces.
So, a “trackless tram” is essentially a bus with a tram-like design and advanced technology features, but without the need for rails.
