Govt to develop once Red-hit places as tourist spots: Minister

PATNA: With Maoist activities on the wane in Bihar, the state government is set to develop the places of natural beauty and historical importance located in Red-hit districts as tourist destinations.
State environment, forest and climate changes department minister Neeraj Kumar Singh Bablu recently visited Tutla Bhawani waterfall in Maoist-hit Rohtas district and asked the officials concerned to prepare a detailed project report (DPR) to develop it as a tourist spot.
Tutla Bhawani waterfall under Tilauthu block, about 20km from Dehri-on-Sone, once happened to be a hotbed of the Maoists and people feared to visit the place.
“The Maoist activities have almost vanished from the area. It can be developed as a tourist spot. The DPR is complete and the work on the project will start soon. We will hold a meeting with the tourism officials soon,” the minister added.
The department is working on other projects in Shahabad range as well. Indrapuri Barrage on Sone river, Rohtas Fort and Shergarh Quila are also likely to be developed as tourist spots.
“Work on construction of a park near Mundeshwari temple in Kaimur district is likely to start next month,” the minister said, adding the projects would generate more revenue with the increase in footfall of tourists.
Rohtas SP Ashish Bharti said activities of the Maoist rebels have been contained to a large extent in the district. “Despite the fact that the rebels are confined to some limited regions, we keep a close surveillance on their activities,” he said.
Locals said the Rohtas Fort atop the Kaimur hills was being used by Maoists as a training centre before the posting of Vikas Vaibhav as SP of Rohtas in August, 2008. “It was Vaibhav who had unfurled the national flag on the bastions of the Rohtas Fort on January 26, 2009. The fort was earlier in the control of the Maoists since 80s,” said a former mukhiya, Shaukat Ali.