Bus from Pak on Nov 5
by Prabhjot Singh
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Oct 23 — The first bus from Lahore to New Delhi is tentatively scheduled to arrive at Wagah border on the morning of November 5, informed sources said here today.

A decision to introduce a direct bus service between Delhi and Lahore was taken when the Prime Ministers of India and Pakistan met in New York on September 24 to "open a new chapter in Indo-Pak cooperation".

The decision will benefit those who want to travel by road.Thus both Indians and Pakistani nationals can now travel by road, saving considerable time as compared to travel by train.

Details about the frequency of the bus service and the nationalities to be permitted to travel by road are being worked out. At present only diplomats and foreign nationals can travel by road from Wagah to Lahore and vice versa. Indians and Pakistanis can travel to each other's country either by train or by air.

Customs and Immigration departments are being geared up to take the additional load likely to be generated by the introduction of a regular bus service. At present, Wagah has sufficient facilities.

The Department of Customs has a modern arrival and departure lounge which could accommodate 100 passengers at a time. X-ray machine is already operational there. Besides, the customs and immigration counters have been planned keeping in view the future requirements.

The immigration authorities may have to deploy some additional manpower once the bus service becomes regular either way.

At present the daily arrivals at Wagah by land route is nearly 20 persons. The number of foreigners departing is also almost the same. Besides, all trading activities from Afghanistan is done through Wagah land route.

Though there is twice-a-week train service between Attari and Lahore — Samjhauta Express — the introduction of a bus service may not reduce the rush on railheads. Nearly thousand persons travel by Samjhauta Express every week. The normal capacity of a bus may not exceed 50 passengers.

For the time being Customs and Immigration Departments are expected to manage the additional load with the existing infrastructure and manpower. On the other hand, Pakistan may have to undertake an exercise to upgrade facilities.

The Customs clearance facilities at Wagah are "primitive". Unlike the Indian side, there is no X-ray machine or counters. A big room of an old building is used for customs clearance. Similarly, the Immigration clearance is done from another room of an old and dilapidated building.

Both on India and Pakistan side, state tourism corporations have tourist complexes which have been virtually lying in "disuse" after the land route was formally closed for both Indian and Pakistani nationals several years ago.

The road from Wagah to Amritsar is fairly in a good condition as compared to Wagah-Lahore track, which at places is narrow, congested and moves through villages which form part of the backward area of West Punjab.

Meanwhile, Customs officials have seized two country made pistols from a Pak national travelling by Samjhauta Express at Attari rail head. The arrested Pakistani national was on his way to visit his relatives in Rajasthan.

He had tactfully concealed Pakistan-made revolvers in a water cooler and had covered the weapons with dry fruit. As the cooler appeared heavier for its "disclosed contents", a suspecting Customs official insisted on inspection and recovered the two firearms. There was, however, no ammunition with them.

Samjhauta Express operates on Mondays and Thursdays.