Indo-Nepal friendly bus service resumes after 19-month
A friendly bus service between Mahendra Nagar of western Nepal and Delhi and Dehradun had started in 2017
Indo-Nepal friendly bus service that had been suspended due to the Covid-19 pandemic resumed after 19 months. A bus of UP roadways arrived at Mahendra Nagar in Nepal and went back with Nepalese passengers on Saturday, officials said.
“Indo-Nepal friendly bus service has resumed after a long gap. As of now, only UP roadways has started the service. The Nepalese seem to be happy because they get direct buses for their destinations,” said Indra Singh, immigration officer Banbasa check-post in Champawat district.
A friendly bus service between Mahendra Nagar of western Nepal and Delhi and Dehradun had started in 2017. Buses of India and Nepal used to ply daily between these stations via Banbasa of Champawat district of Uttarakhand but were suspended on March 23, 2020, due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Indo-Nepal border had been sealed from both sides in a bid to check the spread of the pandemic.
The private committee of Nepal operates bus friendly services on these routes while Uttarakhand and UP roadways perform this responsibility. Efforts were on to resume friendly bus service on these routes as earlier as before the spread of the pandemic but resumed on Saturday.
A bus of Sahibabad depo of UP arrived in Mahendra Nagar from Anand Vihar in Delhi with 20 passengers and went back with 36 passengers. Nepalese residing in border areas and families of those Nepalese whose family members work in India hailed the resumption of bus service.
Nepalese, in a considerable number, travel between India and Nepal from Banbasa which is a notified entry point of both countries. Uttarakhand and UP roadways earn income by transporting the Nepalese. Besides Nepalese workers, thousands of Nepalese come to India for pilgrimage round the year.