Thanks Todd and Dan.
I have managed to find a solution based on the tip you gave and did a bit of modification on the expressions being used.
I applied this expression to the TimeRemap.
len = thisLayer.source.duration;
if(marker.numKeys > 0){
m = marker.nearestKey(time).index;
if(marker.key(m).time > time) m–;
if(m > 0){
mt = marker.key(m).time;
if(time < mt+len){
linear(time, mt, mt+len, 0, len);
}else 0
}else 0
} else value;
And this similar but bit of a modified expression to the Audio Level
len = thisLayer.source.duration – framesToTime(1, fps = 1.0/thisComp.frameDuration);
if(marker.numKeys > 0){
m = marker.nearestKey(time).index;
if(marker.key(m).time > time) m–;
if(m > 0){
mt = marker.key(m).time;
if(time < mt+len){
value;
}else [-48, -48];
}else value;
} else value;
The pop is still there but barely audible. I think it will be totally gone had I realized that the audio levels can be brought down even lower than -48dB.
Thanks again.