Poor response to Nankana Sahib bus

Amritsar, Apr 30 (UNI) The 'easy access' to Sikh shrines across the border as promised by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh when he launched the Amritsar-Nankana Sahib bus service from here on March 24, still remains a distant dream for a vast majority of the Sikhs residing in India.

According to statistical figures available with the Punjab Roadways here, just 111 passengers have availed of the services of the Amritsar-Nankana Sahib bus and vice versa till April 29. Out of this number 45 were Indian passengers and the rest were either Non Resident Indians (NRIs) or foreigners including a handful of Pakistanis.

Figures show that even out of the 45 Indians, a majority were VIPs who had managed to secure a visa for Pakistan from Delhi and then due to their status got the necessary security clearance from the Punjab Police.

Sikhs, desirious of visiting Nankana Sahib the birthplace of Guru Nanak, still do not find it convienent to travel on the 45-seater luxury coaches of the Punjab Roadways or the Pakistan Tourisms Developmet Corpration (PTDC) that run on two days of the week between the two holy towns on either side of the border, which are a mere 160 kms apart.

Interestingly on April 29 not a single passenger arrived here from Nankana Sahib on board the Punjab Roadways coach. The Punjab Roadways Volvo coach and the PTDC coach have together made 21 trips between the two holy places.

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