Patna,(BiharTimes): The Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday claimed that the flow of tourists to Bihar has slowed down considerably in the last five months because of the serial blasts in Bodh Gaya and later in Patna.

The tourism department was till June 16 headed by BJP minister, Sunil Kumar Pintu.

Presenting the counter-report card deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi said that the serial blasts and lack of will of the government to develop tourism sector have adversely affected the flow of foreign
tourists in the state.

Quoting from the Union tourism ministry data he said in August last year 81,786 foreign tourists visited Bihar particularly Bodh Gaya. The figure of this year in August, that is, after serial blasts in Mahabodhi Temple, came down to 58,074.

According to the data Bihar attracted a larger number of foreign tourists in 2009 than Goa. While 4.2 lakh foreign tourists visited Bihar in 2009, Goa drew about 3.7 lakh tourists.

He also said that the proposal to set up two big hotels chains at Maner on PPP mode in Patna district is still pending. Both the hotel chains had agreed to run the resort but the government has failed to take any initiative so far.

Modi said that the decision to put up water fountain in Ganga river, Rajgir and Bodh Gaya have not been started yet. Similarly the long-awaited work on the renovation of Moinul Haq Stadium in Patna has
not started yet.