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March, 2005
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Srinagar-Muzzafarabad bus on test ride to Uri

The Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus on a test ride from Srinagar to Uri

      Srinagar: The fully air-conditioned 19-seater bus of the Jammu and Kashmir State Road Transport Corporation (JKSRTC) which will run on the reopened Srinagar-Muzzafarabad route, was given a test ride to Uri on Friday. After the test ride, the bus will be sent to Jammu for other technical upgradation. The bus was manufactured by Ashok Leyland and its cost is above 20 lakh rupees. Locals of the area expressed their happiness over resumption of the bus service.

     "I am very happy about this. I had a look from the inside.The bus is in a very good condition. It is an AC bus", said Ghulam Nabi, a local. The bus is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities like TV/multimedia system, public address system and other facilities. Proper security and communication systems are also installed in the bus. Everybody ranging from the political to the business community has welcomed this move by the two countries. From a business point of view, this landmark pact provides enormous potential for economic interaction as well as growth.

     But security issues were raised in Parliament over the waiving of passport and visa for the travellers on the Srinagar-Muzzafarabad road link. But the Prime Minister has assured that security is not being compromised in this regard. Kashmiris have been lining up in hundreds for travel permits to ride on the cross-border bus and volunteers have poured in by the dozens for helping in the construction of the highway, for the first time since it severed after the two countries went to war in 1947-48.

Thousands queue up for Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus forms in PoK

     Islamabad: The Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus seems to have caught up in a big way with the Kashmiris living in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), if the number of people queuing up outside the government offices in PoK for travel permits is anything to go by. The Daily Times quoted officials in PoK as saying that thousands of people have queued up outside government offices in Muzaffarabad and six other districts in PoK for getting the travel permit forms for the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus scheduled to start from Srinagar on April 7.

     "Hundreds of people thronged our office and they are very happy, enthusiastic and cheering," the paper quoted Muhammed Tayyab, an official at the deputy commissioner's office in Muzaffarabad as saying. Pakistani officials said that those queuing up for the forms had to show their Pakistani identity cards for the forms, adding that the forms should be filled and returned by March 18. India and Pakistan in an effort to bolster the ongoing peace process and bring in more people to people contact, decided to restart the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus service, with both India and Pakistan agreeing on a type of travel document acceptable to both New Delhi and Islamabad for travel purpose on the Srinagar- Muzaffarabad bus service.
-Mar 18, 2005

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