“The bus would leave Srinagar for Kaman bridge, the last Indian border post in Uri sector, at 8 a.m.” Jammu and Kashmir Roads and Building Minister Gulam Ahmed Mir said. The first dry run of the bus was conducted on March 18. However, tomorrow’s dry run assumed significance in the backdrop of militant threats.

The bus would be provided the same security as a security forces convoy gets.

On the same day, another bus of Jammu and Kashmir State Road Transport Corporation (JKSRTC) will leave the Kaman bridge, also at 8 am, under tight security cover on its onward journey to Srinagar on test basis, the minister said.

As per the decision by the Indian and Pakistani authorities, from April 7 the bus would drop passengers from here to Muzaffarabad at the Kaman bridge, the last Indian post on the road.

After covering a little distance they would enter Pakistan and board the buses there to reach Muzaffarabad.

The passengers coming from Muzaffarabad to Srinagar will have to stop at the last post of Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) and will have to cover the small distance up to the Kaman post on foot and board JKSRTC buses for their onward travel to Srinagar, Mr Mir said. According to the first dry run carried on March 18, it will be a four-hour journey for the bus moving from here to the Kaman bridge.

Eight drivers have been kept ready to run the SRTC buses on Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road and have been provided uniforms.

Srinagar: With a Kashmiri verse, “I broke the sword and forged sickles out of it” embossed on them, five special buses of Jammu and Kashmir State Road Transport Corporation (JKSRTC), to ply on the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad route from April 7 have reached here amid tight security, official sources said today.

The buses were brought from Jammu late last night under tight security following threats by four militant groups, the sources said.

The vehicles, which brought passengers from Jammu to the summer capital, were immediately sanitised and shifted to the high court complex “for security reasons”, they said.

The buses would be moved to security lines till April 7 when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh flags off the Indo-Pak bus from the Sher-e-Kashmir cricket stadium.

Only two of the five 19-seater buses of the JKSRTC would be pressed into service on the inaugural day as only 29 passengers from here are scheduled to cross over to Muzaffarabad.

The Jammu and Kashmir Government has set up facilities like telephones at some places along the 120-km stretch for the convenience of passengers and the media covering the event.