Srinagar, December 15
Twenty-six passengers aboard the Karavan-e-Aman or peace bus between Srinagar and Muzaffarabad crossed Kamaan Bridge today, first time after the October 8 earthquake. There were no passengers on board the peace bus on its last run from here to the Kamaan bridge two weeks ago.
Those who crossed over to PoK from here today were six passengers, including five returning to the other side after stay in the valley and one new passenger, official sources confirmed here. Twenty others crossed over to this side of the LoC from PoK today. They included 16 returnees and four fresh passengers.
The Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus service was suspended following heavy damage to the 18 km-long stretch of road between Uri and Kamaan bridge due to October 8 earthquake.
The Beacon project of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) looking after the road lost over 60 of its men and heavy machinery in the landslides triggered by the earthquake. The Aman Setu or Kamaan bridge over KDK nullah divided by the LoC has been damaged heavily due to landslides following the quake.
The Uri-Kamaan bridge stretch of the road was made traffic worthy after about one month with Beacon personnel working on a war footing. It was on November 9 that a relief exchange camp was established to provide relief to the affected population on either side of
the LoC.
Only light vehicles carrying relief material from Uri were allowed to move on the 18-km-stretch with its opening early last month. The relief material has been carried on either side by porters and passengers by cross up over the nullah on foot.
As part of the Indo-Pak confidence building measures the Sriangar-Muzaffarabad bus service began on April 7 this year throwing the Jhelum valley Road open after a gap of about 57 years. Traffic on the route, the only all-weather road link connecting Srinagar with the rest of the country via Muzaffarabd was suspended in September 1947. It was re-opened on April 7 last much to the relief of the divided families on either side of the LoC for the past 57 years.
It is being run on fortnightly basis and efforts were on to increase its frequency apart from allowing trucks on the route for trade and business.
