Sunday, February 20 2005 09:47 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Less than seven weeks to go for the commencement of the path-breaking bus service between Srinagar and Muzaffarabad, the authorities on both sides are working overtime to put in place the mechanism for movement of people across the Line of Control (LoC).

The first task for authorities in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and on the Indian side is to repair the road along the 170-km stretch and de-mine the area.

"Security and safety of the passengers are of paramount importance," official sources said in New Delhi.

Officials from the External and Home Ministries besides representatives from the Jammu and Kashmir Government, Defence forces and security agencies are discussing all aspects so that the first bus to the PoK can run on April 7.

The much-awaited decision to start the bus link in April was taken during the visit of External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh to Pakistan earlier this week.

Screening of applications will involve representatives from MEA, Home Ministry as also from the Jammu and Kashmir Government, the sources said.

Discussions are underway to determine the frequency of the bus service and the cost factor.

The sources indicated that voter ID, ration card or passports will not be required while submitting applications for travel across the LoC.

Passengers will have to fill in details of their names and addresses as also of people they are going to meet on the other side and other information relating to the purpose of their travel.

On each application, the passenger will have to affix his or her photograph. "The application itself will be the ID for that person," the sources said.

An Indian wishing to go on this bus will first have to fill the requisite application form and send it to the designated authority - the Regional Passport Office in Srinagar.

After the necessary checks, these forms will be sent to the designated authority in Muzaffarabad. There will be a pre-verification process, the sources said.

After recording details of those whom they wish to allow to visit their part of Kashmir, these application forms will be sent back to the Srinagar RPO with details of who will be allowed to visit their part of Kashmir.

It may initially take two to three weeks for this process to be completed and the time span will be shortened once it is streamlined, the sources said.

Once their names have been cleared, such Indians will buy tickets to the LoC crossing point. They will get off the bus, present their applications forms on the basis of which they will be given entry permits in Muzaffarabad and thereafter get into another bus on that side.

Similar procedure would be followed by the other side and Pakistani nationals cleared for entering Jammu and Kashmir would be given entry permits by the Srinagar RPO.

The duration of the entry permit will be on a case-by-case basis, the sources said.

The sources said running of the bus on the Indian side and on the Pakistani side would be synchronised in such a manner that passengers get down from one end and get into the bus at the other end once the formalities are completed.

This unique procedure was agreed to as both sides did not want their stated positions on Jammu and Kashmir to be compromised in any manner.

The sources said safeguards were also being discussed to ensure that this service was not misused by terrorists, drug traffickers and those engaged in organised crime.