Founded | June 21, 2006 |
---|---|
Locale | Poonch, India and Rawalakot, Pakistan |
Service area | Jammu and Kashmir |
Service type | Cross-border bus service |
Routes | 1 (Poonch to Rawalakot) |
Daily ridership | Over 15,000 (as of April 2011) |
The Poonch-Rawalakot Bus is a cross-border transport service that connects Poonch in Indian-administered Kashmir with Rawalakot in Azad Kashmir. The service was inaugurated on 21 June 2006, serving as an important confidence-building measure between India and Pakistan.[1][2]
The bus service was launched after the success of the Muzaffarabad to Srinagar bus service which started on 7 April 2005. Initially launched as a fortnightly service, in August 2008, buses began to operate weekly. The Poonch-Rawalakot bus service was started on 6 June 2006.[1][2][3]
The bus service has experienced interruptions due to conflicts and tensions along the LoC. Despite these challenges, it has demonstrated its resilience by restarting operations following such events.[4][5] Now it has been suspended from 2019.[6]
The bus service has acted as a bridge, reconnecting countless Kashmiris separated by the Line of Control (LoC). By April 2011, this service had enabled 15,000 Kashmiris to traverse this divide. This service has also played a pivotal role in enhancing diplomatic ties between India and Pakistan.[2]