Nepal and India today launched a direct bus service between Kathmandu and Varanasi, linking cultural and religious importance; home to Pashupatinath and Kashi Vishwanath temples. Opening the bus service today, Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Bimalendra Nidhi said the bus service would further consolidate age-old bilateral relations between Nepal and India.The bus service is expected to enhance people to people contact and further strengthen ties between people of India and Nepal. It is also likely to have a positive impact on the tourism industry as both Kathmandu and Varanasi are popular tourist destinations, a statement by Indian embassy said. "The close connection between Kathmandu-Banaras, Janakpur-Ayodhya and Lumbini-Gaya have made Nepal-India relation further strong from religious and cultural fronts", Minister Niodhi said, adding that, "It would help promote tourism of both Nepal and India".
