Patna: In a major development for Bihar’s tourism and hospitality sector, the state government on Thursday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to build a five-star Taj hotel on the Bankipur Bus Stand land in Patna under the public-private partnership (PPP) model.
The agreement was signed between the tourism department, through the Bihar State Tourism Development Corporation Limited (BSTDCL), and Saraga Hotels Pvt Ltd. The project will be developed by the Indian Hotels Company Limited, which operates the Taj hotel brand.
The MoU was signed in the presence of the state’s tourism minister, Arun Shankar Prasad, who said the government aimed to improve high-quality accommodation facilities for tourists and business travellers visiting Bihar.
“The people of the state have high expectations that tourists and business visitors should not face difficulties in finding quality accommodation,” Prasad said. He added that the government had recognised the need for more five-star hotels in Patna and planned to develop three such properties in the capital.
Construction of one five-star hotel in Patna has already begun, while the agreement signed on Thursday formalised the second project. The process for developing a third five-star hotel in the city is also under way, the minister said.
Prasad said the state government was simultaneously developing infrastructure and new tourism circuits to attract more visitors to Bihar. “Just as tourists visit Bodhgaya and Rajgir, in the coming days they will also travel to see the Janaki Temple in Sitamarhi,” he said.
Nand Kishore, managing director of the Bihar State Tourism Development Corporation Limited, said the land at Bankipur Bus Stand had been transferred to the tourism department by the state transport department for the project.
Following the completion of preliminary processes, the state government decided to develop a five-star hotel on the site under the Infrastructure Development Enabling Amendment Act, 2023, to provide modern accommodation and tourism facilities in the state capital.
Saraga Hotels Pvt Ltd was selected as the technically successful bidder after offering an annual licence premium of Rs 18.60 crore plus GST.
The proposed Taj hotel will have 500 rooms in total, developed in two phases. The first phase will include 350 rooms, while the remaining 150 rooms will be constructed in the second phase.
The selected agency is required to complete the first phase within four years, with operations of the Taj five-star hotel expected to begin in January 2030.
Officials said the Bankipur site was particularly suitable for such a project due to its strategic location, with the Ganga river on one side and Gandhi Maidan directly opposite. The proximity to the Samrat Ashok Convention Centre is also expected to boost the hotel’s significance as a destination for conferences and tourism.
K Mohanchandran, senior vice-president of Taj Hotels, said the upcoming property in Patna would be a notable addition to the Taj group’s portfolio across India.
Nityanand Sonthalia, director of Saraga Hotels Pvt Ltd, said the company was committed to completing the project within the stipulated timeframe.
Senior officials from the tourism department and the Bihar State Tourism Development Corporation, including joint director Rajesh Roshan and general manager Chandan Chauhan, were also present during the signing ceremony.
