Patna, May 23: Bihar State Tourism Development Corporation (BSTDC) is working on a plan - taking a cue from the proposal for privatisation of hotels managed by India Tourism Development Corporation Limited (ITDC) - to lease out 13 hospitality properties owned by it.

The bidding for seven hotels is already in the final stage.

BSTDC managing director Mohammad Sohail claimed that the idea behind leasing out the hotels is to ensure better management and improved facilities. "One can see the marked difference in the facilities and services at Hotel Gautam Vihar after it was handed to the Gargree Group (now Gargree Gautam Vihar Resort). The bidding for seven of our hotels is in the advanced stage," said Sohail.

Sources claimed that the BSTDC is giving its hotels on lease to private parties for five years, which would look after the operations of the entire establishment.

The operator would be required to do air-conditioning of at least 50 per cent of the total number of rooms and restaurant at the BSTDC hotel. The firm would also be required to do upgrade of existing establishment including interior decorations of rooms and restaurants by putting furniture, fixtures and other home décor items of latest trends.

The BSTDC has made substantial progress under this scheme as it has already handed over the operation of Hotel Vishwamitra Vihar at Buxar, Hotel Vishnu Vihar at Gaya and Hotel Shershah Vihar at Sasaram to private firms on lease.

The privatisation has apparently led to protests from corporation staff, who are sitting on an indefinite dharna at the BSTDC headquarters since a week. "There have been a lot of financial and administrative anomalies in the way the hotels of the BSTDC are being leased out. Besides, the staff, who are working in the hotels, are not being absorbed in the facility after the lease," said a BSTDC employee under condition of anonymity.

Ranchi hotel row

As per a new proposal of the Union tourism ministry, seven of the 12 hotels managed by the ITDC are proposed to be handed over to private players. Sources claimed that Hotel Ranchi Ashok is also included in the list of hotels under this proposal.

However, officials in the BSTDC claimed that the land on which Hotel Ranchi Ashok is developed is owned by the corporation and it cannot be handed over to private players without their consent.