Friday, April 22 2005 08:28 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Kaman Post (JK): Unlike the hype and drama surrounding the inauguration of Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus service, the second run of buses between the two sides of divided Kashmir took off almost without being noticed.

The fanfare and hype surrounding the first bus was missing as only the civil and police officials from Baramulla district were present to receive the passengers.

While elaborate arrangements were in place to receive the passengers on the inaugural bus with cultural programmes and other functions, even the BSNL, which had claimed to have connected Kaman Post and Salamabad through telephones, was missing in action yesterday (Apr 21, 2005) as the phones had suddenly disappeared from the scene within a fortnight of their installation.

Two SRTC (Srinagar Read Transport Corporation) buses with 22 passengers on board, including 11 from Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK), who were returning home, started from Nehru guest house in the high security Cheshmashahi area of the city at around 08:00 hrs (IST) amidst tight security all along the 120 km route upto Kaman Post.

Sixteen passengers, including one from PoK, joined the entourage at Salamabad for their journey to Muzaffarabad after they had requested to be exempted from boarding the Karavaan-e-Aman from Srinagar.

Twenty-five passengers from PoK, which included 14 passengers from the inaugural bus returning home, crossed the LoC to this side.