Announcing this at a press conference today, Delhi Transport Minister Parvez Hashmi said that 30 officials from the Central and State Government, including IB officials, will be taking the 14-hour trip.

``They will take a close look at the security and safety of the route and also decide on the three food stops it'll take during the long journey to Lahore,'' Hashmi said.

The bus will run four times a week (Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday) and Delhi will be the only boarding point. As for any international trip, the passengers would need passports and visas in order to travel on the bus. It will be the country's first international bus route.

``No passengers will be allowed to board the bus from Harayana or Punjab. Nor can anyone get off the bus before Lahore. The bus will be have three stops for breakfast, lunch and dinner at specified spots,'' the Transport Minister said.

The `real' bus which is being produced by Ashok Leyland in Bangalore will be ready with ISD facilities on board. The telephone numbers of all Police Commissioners along the route will be provided in the bus for security reasons. ``It will have all the facilities available on the Rajdhani,'' Hashmi said.

In case of a break-down, the Haryana and Punjab Governments are to provide alternate deluxe buses. ``The bus will start plying on the route regularly after January 20. We have everything ready. It is for the Home Ministry to give us the clearance.

The bus which will have 36 seats will cost the passengers Rs 600 per seat. A booking counter will very soon be opened at the Inter State Bus Terminus, which might be renamed once the `Bus to Pakistan' becomes a regular feature.