Jaisalmer: A new bus route between India and Pakistan may be opened through the Thar Desert if the proposal to connect Munabao and Khokharapar by road is accepted, official sources said today (Dec 31, 2003).

Rajasthan Government has already sent the proposal to the Centre to link Munabao in Barmer district and Khokharapar in Pakistan with the road, abandoned since the 1965 Indo-Pak war, sources said.

Since reopening of the Munabao-Khokharapar rail link may take some time, as it needed gauge conversion, it has been suggested that two towns across the border could be linked with road.

A bus service also used to operate between the two towns till 1965 war, they said.

The proposal for the road link was sent to the Centre recently after review of administrative and security arrangements for the same in Jaipur.

Three alternative starting points have been suggested in the proposal. The proposed bus service may start from Barmer to reach Khokharapar via Munabao. The service may also start either from Jodhpur or Ajmer.

If a bus route is opened between Munabao and Khokharapar, a distance of 12 kilometres, immigration and security check offices would be opened at Munabao.

The final decision about the new bus route is likely to be taken soon at the diplomatic level between the two countries, sources added.