Kashmir bus route declared safe

By Altaf Hussain
BBC News, Srinagar

Preparations are under way in Srinagar for the new service

Authorities in Indian-administered Kashmir have declared the route for next week's landmark bus service safe from militant activity.

The service between Srinagar in Indian-controlled Kashmir and Muzaffarabad in the Pakistani sector starts on 7 April.

However, the names of those travelling on the first day have not been released for security reasons.

Militants opposed to Indian rule have warned people not to use the service.

QUICK GUIDE

Kashmir dispute

The bus link was announced last month after a meeting of the foreign ministers of India and Pakistan and is seen as an important sign of improved relations between the nuclear-capable neighbours.

India and Pakistan both claim Kashmir in its entirety and have fought two wars over the region since independence in 1947.

Anti-sabotage checks

A high-level meeting of the Indian army, police and civil officials on Thursday reviewed the security arrangements along the bus route.

The meeting, which took place in Baramullah town, was presided over by the divisional commissioner of Kashmir, Khursheed Ahmed Ghanai.

The deputy inspector general of police for north Kashmir, Raja Aijaz, said the bus route was absolutely safe. He ruled out any sabotage by the militants.

The officer said there was round-the-clock surveillance on the road from Srinagar to the frontier district of Uri.

He said there were regular patrols and anti-sabotage checks along the road.

The authorities in Indian-controlled Kashmir say they will not disclose the names of the passengers on the first bus.

They said the state Road Transport Corporation - which will run the bus - had also been directed to keep the names secret.

This follows a warning by four militant groups on Wednesday.

Al-Nasirin, the Save Kashmir Movement, Al-Arifin and Farzandan-e-Millat all told people not to travel on the bus.

The militant groups issued a list which they said carried the names of the passengers.