Dry Bihar boosts booze tourism in Jharkhand

RANCHI:

Liquor

tourism in

Jharkhand

is booming as neighbouring Bihar tightens

prohibition

in the state. Jharkhand’s hospitality industry has grown by almost 20% in the last few months , if recent trends of corporate meetings cum parties and private parties are any indication.

“Usually the months of August and September are very lean for the hotel industry as marriages are not solemnised during the inauspicious ‘khar maas’. But this time rooms and banquet halls of almost all hotels in the state capital were full with bookings from corporate houses for meetings and parties with dealers,” an hotelier said.

“Corporate houses and even private parties, like friends or families are coming here for meetings or picnics over the weekend to enjoy liquor along with business or family,” said Sudhir Mishra, general manager of Ranchi’s Chanakya BNR hotel.

The fancy weddings of Bihar where liquor is an important component of the celebrations, are also shifting to Jharkhand. “Recently, my banquet hall was host to a very close kin of a Bihar don, who did not want a marriage party where liquor would not flow freely,” said a banquet hall owner.

Informed sources said that executives and officials of corporate companies, who are posted in Bihar, are now opting for a transfer to Jharkhand where they can beat stress with drinks after work.

A senior corporate official with his regional office in Patna said for entertaining clients or dealers, serving liquor is essential. The official said, “Coming to Jharkhand is the easiest option as it’s close to Bihar, but we are also going to West Bengal, Orissa and Benaras for such meetings where there is no prohibition.”