The Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) on Monday cancelled the Delhi-Lahore bus service. This follows Pakistan’s decision to discontinue the service in the wake of India revoking the special status to Jammu and Kashmir, said a senior DTC official.
On Saturday, a senior Pakistani minister announced the suspension of the friendship bus service from Monday.
A DTC bus was scheduled to leave for Lahore on Monday at 6 a.m.
“Consequent to Pakistan’s decision to suspend the Delhi-Lahore bus service, the DTC is not able to send bus [from Delhi to Lahore] from August 12,” said a statement from the DTC.
On Saturday, the Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) telephonically informed the DTC about the suspension of the service.
The last bus for Lahore left Delhi on Saturday morning carrying two passengers while the bus from the other side reached the National Capital carrying 19 passengers the same evening.
The service was started in February 1999 but suspended after the 2001 Parliament attack. It was restarted in July 2003. It continued with a depleted number of passengers even when bilateral relations between the two countries worsened after the Pulwama terrorist attack and Balakot air strikes in February last.
The service was operated from the Ambedkar Stadium terminal near the Delhi Gate. DTC buses plied every Monday, Wednesday and Friday and PTDC buses every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, from Delhi to Lahore.
For the return trip, DTC buses left Lahore every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, whereas PTDC buses were available every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
