By Asit Jolly BBC correspondent in Amritsar

As the leaders of India and Pakistan talk peace, hopes are rising among people living near India's border with Pakistan where the land crossing was closed 17 months ago.

The main highway leading up to the India-Pakistan border at Wagah, west of Amritsar City has never looked so good.

Porters at the border have had no work for months

Virtually every signboard has been freshly painted over and workers labour furiously to finish painting luminous divider lines on newly laid tarmac.

A few kilometres short of the border lies the last railway station on Indian territory, Attari.

Now it is being given a makeover.

Abandoned for months, dozens of railway officials are now directing maintenance crews engaged in checking and rechecking equipment.

Customs and immigration staff have also returned to dust out their offices in anticipation of the beginning of passenger and freight services to Pakistan.

What is interesting, however, is that the staff at Attari railway station say they have received no official instructions regarding the revival of rail services.

Like everyone else, they are merely responding to newspaper and television reports of a new phase in India-Pakistan relations.

Out of work

Official or not, the sense of excitement over peace and cooperation with Pakistan is palpable.

A fresh coat of paint for Attari station

At the Wagah border check post, eager labourers are waiting for work in the expectation that trade will also begin once again.

The unexpected arrival of a delegation of Pakistani parliamentarians at Wagah on Thursday has worked to raise hopes of peace even more.

Back in Amritsar City, the traders market of Majith Mandi is waking up to the prospect of a reopening of borders with Pakistan.

This was traditionally the main centre of road and rail trade with Pakistan and Afghanistan

Traders here have had to suffer huge losses during the past 17 months.

Besides the cash losses, an estimated 10,000 people have been thrown out of work according to Indo-Foreign Chamber of Commerce President BK Bajaj.

Mr Bajaj and his friends at Majith Mandi are now excited about restarting trade.

According to them a complete lifting of trade restrictions could hugely benefit both neighbours.

Mr Bajaj believes that besides a 100% increase in trade, the region could witness massive investment and growth.

Divided kin

Thousands of Muslim families are also rejoicing.

Majith Mandi traders hope that business picks up

Many of them have relatives in Pakistan and for them the recent peace initiatives have come as a breath of fresh air.

Several among them have lost out on the chance of sharing in the joys and sorrows of their kin across the border.

In several cases marriages have had to be put off and others have not been allowed to participate in the funerals of loved ones that have passed away since the border closed.

There are also people whose troubles have lasted much longer.

Kishwar Ahmed Shirali has not been able to visit her sister in Lahore for 30 years for want of a visa.

But now, even Ms Shirali is sensing a never-before opportunity that could permit her access to relatives she has never met.

Her sister died some years ago and she is very keen to connect with her sister's children and grand-children.

"It will be a miracle," she says.

It is clear that people living along the border are more than keen that peace be established between India and Pakistan.

Many among them pray that their leadership does not once again fail them.