NEW DELHI: The new Amritsar-Lahore bus link, scheduled to begin regular operation from December 23, marks yet another positive step for the people of India and Pakistan who have suffered due to the cross-border tension.

Judging by the enthusiastic response to the trial run of the first Amritsar-Lahore bus service on Sunday, it could be assumed that the service would follow the popular Delhi-Lahore bus service, which began in February 1999 with the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee boarding the bus to travel to Lahore for summit-level talks with his counterpart Nawaz Sharif.

Then it was the turn of the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus service to establish a keenly awaited link between the people of Kashmir on both sides of the border. When the bus service was flagged off by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh from Srinagar on April 6 this year amid concerns of security for the passengers and terrorist threats, there were doubts if the bus service would remain operational. Barring just one cancellation, the bus service has held its ground so far.

The damage to Aman Setu, the bridge that provided the last and vital road link to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, due to the October 8 earthquake forced suspension of the bus service for nearly two months. Official sources said the bus service was resumed about 10 days ago. To facilitate relief measures across the border in Jammu and Kashmir in the wake of the devastating quake, the two Governments also allowed civilian movement across Poonch-Rawalakot, Hazipeer-Silikot, Mendhar-Tatapani and Teetwal-Chiliyan.

Even as the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus service was about to be launched in April, there were terrorist attacks on the safe house where passengers had been put up, triggering doubts about the feasibility of the bus service. However, both New Delhi and Islamabad were quick to condemn the attack and decided to take the peace process further.

The bus service facilitated restoration of the familial bonds which the Kashmiris had lost decades ago.

Stories narrated in newspapers and beamed by the electronic media about families separated for years reuniting touched upon the human aspect and re-established emotional and familial links between the Kashmiris.

While the Delhi-Lahore bus service requires the passengers to have valid passports and visas, the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad service operates on the valid permit regime for the people of Kashmir on both sides who travel on the bus. The Delhi-Lahore service was snapped in the wake of the December 13, 2001 terror strike on Parliament. The bus diplomacy, conceived and implemented by New Delhi and Islamabad, suffered a jolt.

Two years later, Mr. Vajpayee once again emphasised the importance of people-to-people contacts for creating a conducive atmosphere in India-Pakistan relations. The Government on May 26, 2003 approved the resumption of the Delhi-Lahore service on a twice-a-week basis.

The service was restored on July 11, 2003 with much fanfare during the previous NDA regime and the twice-weekly service since then has been a hit with travellers.

The inaugural Delhi-Lahore service was aptly named Sada-e-Sarhad (call of the border) as Mr. Vajpayee became the first Indian Prime Minister to take the bus ride to Lahore.

Officials say the service has always attracted advance bookings building bridges of friendship.

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