Monday, March 14 2005 13:49 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: The infrastructure work from Indian side for plying of bus service between Srinagar and Muzaffarabad would be completed by March 31, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed said today (Mar 14, 2005).

"I have personally monitored the ongoing work at Uri (north Kashmir) and it will be completed by March 31 so that the bus connecting two parts of Kashmir will run on April 7 as scheduled," he told reporters after meeting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi.

The Chief Minister said that the bus, to be flagged off by the Prime Minister, would initially run once in a fortnight and later it would be converted into a weekly service.

Asked whether Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf was to come by the inaugural bus service, Syeed said, "There was no discussion on this. The Government has already welcomed his desire to watch a cricket match in our country. It depends on him what route he takes after having provided the consent of the Government."

The Chief Minister said that priority would be given to people belonging to the divided families across the Line of Control (LoC).

Asked whether Hurriyat leaders would also be allowed to go in the bus, Sayeed said anyone who meets the requirements would be allowed to go.