SRINAGAR : The Karvan-e-Aman bus, operating between Srinagar and Muzaffarabad, capital of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK), left here on Monday morning to cross over to other side of the Line of Control (LoC) in Uri sector, official sources said.
They said despite chilly weather conditions with minus 4 degree minimum temperature, the first bus of 2019, carrying five passengers four PoK residents and a Kashmiri left Bemina in Srinagar.
The bus has since reached Trade Facilitation Centre (TFC), at Uri where more passengers will board it before proceeding towards Kaman post, the last Indian military post on this side of the LoC in Uri sector this afternoon, they said.
Similarly, passengers travelling from PoK will be known in the afternoon when they reach at TFC, Uri in north Kashmir district of Baramulla, they added.
The number of passengers travelling from PoK decreases during winter when the temperature goes down but increases in summer to enjoy pleasant weather conditions.
Similarly Kashmiris travelling to PoK to meet their relatives, separated in 1947 due to partition, goes up in winter and drops in summer. The bus service, introduced on April 7, 2005, has helped thousands of people to meet their separated family members after India and Pakistan agreed to allow travel on travel permits instead of International passport via Uri road, which was closed in 1947 due to partition.
However, travel of state subjects from both sides of the LoC is allowed only after their names are cleared by intelligence agencies from both sides. Earlier, the residents from both sides had to travel to Delhi or Amritsar to visit PoK. (agencies)
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