Post-quake, first LoC bus rolls

Karvan-e-aman, the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad peace bus that began service on April 7 this year, has resumed operations following the October 8 e...

Karvan-e-aman, the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad peace bus that began service on April 7 this year, has resumed operations following the October 8 earthquake that devastated Uri and Muzaffarabad.

There were 20 passengers, including eight women, on board today. These included four residents of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, who had come across to Kashmir earlier by the same route. Five passengers from PoK crossed over to this side of the Line of Control. S L Ramulu, Regional Passport Officer, Srinagar, said: 8220;We resumed the bus service today. The bus moved upto Kaman and 20 passengers were on board. They included 16 fresh passengers from our side and four stranded passengers of other side.8221;

Ramulu said he hoped the bus will start running on schedule. 8220;I think it will be okay. We are ready on our part. The Border Roads Organisation has done a good job8230;8221; he added.

The October quake, which killed thousands of people in Muzaffarabad, Uri and Tangdhar, blocked the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road and shattered the Aman Setu built by India near Kaman post on the LoC. The last peace bus rolled on the 184-km stretch on October 6, two days before the quake. Passengers travelling by that bus were stranded in Pakistan; one of them, Basti Ram, from Jammu died in the earthquake.

The next bus, scheduled for October 20, was suspended.

The bus drove up to the Kaman post today from where passengers crossed on foot to the other side of the LoC. They walked along the culvert erected under the damaged Aman Setu to step into PoK.

Before the earthquake struck, passengers would cross by foot from the Kaman post and board another bus that would take them to Muzaffarabad. The special Ashok Leyland bus carrying the 20 passengers reached Kaman post around 1.20 pm today.

Bashaarat Masood

Bashaarat Masood is a Special Correspondent with The Indian Express. He has been covering Jammu and Kashmir, especially the conflict-ridden Kashmir valley, for two decades. Bashaarat joined The Indian Express after completing his Masters in Mass Communication and Journalism from the University in Kashmir. He has been writing on politics, conflict and development. Bashaarat was awarded with the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards in 2012 for his stories on the Pathribal fake encounter. Expertise and Experience Two Decades of Frontline Reporting: Bashaarat has spent 20 years documenting the evolution of Kashmir, from high-intensity conflict and political shifts to socio-economic development. Award-Winning Investigative Journalism: He is a recipient of the prestigious Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award (2012). This honor was bestowed for his reporting on the Pathribal fake encounter, a series of stories that highlighted his ability to handle sensitive human rights and security issues with investigative rigor. Specialized Beats: His authoritative coverage spans: Political Transitions: Tracking the shift from statehood to Union Territory, electoral dynamics, and the pulse of local governance. Security & Conflict: Providing nuanced reporting on counter-insurgency, civil liberties, and the impact of the conflict on the civilian population. Development: Documenting the infrastructure, healthcare, and educational landscape within the Valley. Academic Background: He holds a Masters in Mass Communication and Journalism from the University of Kashmir, providing him with a localized academic and professional foundation that is rare in regional reporting. ... Read More