After Samjhauta Express, Delhi-Lahore bus service cancelled

Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) on Monday cancelled the Delhi-Lahore bus service as Pakistan decided to discontinue it in the wake of India revoking Jammu and Kashmir’s special status, said a senior official of the public transporter.

On Saturday, a senior Pakistani minister has announced to suspended the friendship bus service from Monday.

A DTC bus was scheduled to leave for Lahore on Monday 6 a.m. However, it did not leave due to Pakistan’s decision to suspend the bus service, the official said.

“Consequent to Pakistan’s decision to suspend the Delhi-Lahore bus service, DTC is not able to send bus (from Delhi to Lahore) from August 12,” said a statement from DTC.

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Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) had on Saturday also telephonically informed the DTC about the suspension of the service from Monday.

Last Friday (August 9), Pakistan had announced that it will suspend the Thar Express train service with India which links the two countries across the Rajasthan border, a day after it stopped the Samjhauta Express following its decision to downgrade bilateral ties.

The last bus for Lahore left Delhi on Saturday morning carrying two passengers while the return bus from the other side reached the national capital carrying 19 passengers in the evening of the same day.

The bus service did not operate on Sunday. The Delhi-Lahore bus service was first started in February 1999 but suspended after the 2001 Parliament attack. It was restarted in July 2003.

It had, however, continued with a depleted number of passengers even when bilateral relations between the two countries had worsened following the Pulwama terrorist attack and Balakot surgical strikes in February this year.

The Lahore-Delhi bus service is operated from Ambedkar Stadium terminal near Delhi Gate. DTC buses ply every Monday, Wednesday and Friday and PTDC buses every Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday, from Delhi to Lahore.

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For the return trip, DTC buses leave Lahore every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday whereas the PTDC buses are available every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.