Patna: The Patna Darshan programme of the tourism department has run into rough weather as the buses to take around tourists are out of order for the past five months.

After a couple of successes and hiccups, the tour package was re-launched in September last year. Two Volvo buses were fixed to take tourists out two days a week - Saturday and Sunday - from 8am to 7pm. Two Volvo buses were pressed into service but a month into the programme, the buses went kaput and the excursions stopped.

Brajesh Kishore Singh, manager, travel and trade, Bihar State Tourism Development Corporation (BSTDC), said: "Yes, the tour has been temporarily stopped because the buses are out of order." Singh added he couldn't say when the tours would resume.

This is not the first time the Patna Darshan has hit a bump. Last year it was started in June after a successful run in winter 2016 but stopped for poor response. It was resumed with new attractions in September 2017. A BSTDC official said: "After the tour was re-launched, we were running packed buses. But since the package stopped, tourists interested for the package return empty-handed from the corporation office."

The tour used to start from hotel Kautilya Vihar on Beer Chand Patel Marg. Tourists were taken to martyr memorial, the Legislative Assembly, old secretariat, Patna High Court, Temple of Jallawala Hanuman, Harmandir Saheb Gurdwara, Padri ki Haveli, Agamkuan, Kumhrar, Buddha Smriti among other spots in Patna.

The tour ended at Golghar the laser and sound show at the heritage granary.