NEW DELHI, Aug. 5 (Xinhua) -- The India-Pakistan bus service, connecting the cities of New Delhi and Lahore, has been incurring losses at an average of 400,000 Indian Rupees (around 5,715 U.S. dollars) every month, local media reported Monday.
The main reason cited for the losses incurred is lack of passengers.
The thrice-a-week bus service started in 1999 by the then prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The fare of 2,400 Indian Rupees (34.14 U.S. dollars) per passenger above 12 years old includes complimentary breakfast, lunch and evening tea.
The Times of India daily reported that during the month of May the bus service incurred a loss of over 420,000 Indian Rupees (around 6,000 U.S. dollars) and in June it posted a loss of 360,000 Indian Rupees (around 5,143 U.S. dollars).
The bus takes around 10 hours to cover a distance of around 500 km from Delhi up to Attari-Wagah International Border, and thereafter around 25 km from the International Border till Lahore in Pakistan.
In March, the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC), which operates the bus, had requested the central government to discontinue the bus service as it was becoming infeasible to run the bus for lack of passengers.
