In an effort to meet the expected rush of cricket fans from Pakistan for the upcoming cricket series here, Delhi Government is ready to increase the frequency of Delhi-Lahore bus service from two to four times a week. "We have put in place arrangements for running four buses in a week instead of two in view of the increased rush during the cricket series," Delhi Transport Minister Haroon Yusuf was quoted by Press Trust of India (PTI) as saying.

While Delhi Transport Corporation operates two buses a week from Delhi to Lahore, Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) also runs two buses a week between the two cities. The buses then also make the return trip.

The Minister said the preparedness for increased shuttle had been made in anticipation of greater rush during the cricket series. "Depending on the demand, the frequency can be increased up to four times a week," he said.

"The service will be increased according to the inputs we get from our Lahore counterpart regarding the number of people wishing to travel to India during the cricket series," Yusuf said.

The over one-month-long Indo-Pak cricket series is slated to start by the end of this month. The frequency of the bus service had to be enhanced in March last year too when a large number of Indian fans visited Pakistan during Indian team's historic tour across the border.

Copyright News Network International, 2005