NEW DELHI: Encouraged by the popularity of the Delhi-Lahore bus service, India and Pakistan on Thursday decided to increase its frequency from two trips per week to three per week from each side from March 17.
The two sides also decided that the Amritsar-Nankana Sahib bus service would have a halt at Lahore to enable the passengers to embark or disembark.
The decisions were taken at a day-long meeting of Indo-Pak transport officials here to review the bus services, which are key confidence building measures between the two countries.
"Both sides noted with satisfaction the continuing operations of the bus services and discussed further measures for improvement," said a Joint Statement issued after the first meeting of the India-Pakistan Standing Committee on Bus Services.
"It has been decided to increase the frequency of Delhi-Lahore bus service from two trips per week to three trips per week from each side," it said.
The Delhi-Lahore bus service, intended to be the low-cost means of cross-border transport, was launched on March 16, 1999 after the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee travelled to Pakistan by bus.
The Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) bus service from Delhi to Lahore runs on Tuesdays and Fridays and from Lahore to Delhi on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) runs the bus service from Lahore to Delhi on Tuesdays and Fridays. From Delhi to Lahore, the PTDC buses ply on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
