KATHMANDU: The number of tourists visiting Lumbini, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has started declining due to poor condition of the Narayangadh-Bhutwal road section.    
According to the Lumbini Development Trust, at least one million domestic tourists used to visit Lumbini annually before 2076 BS. However, less than one million tourists have visited Lumbini for two years after the project to upgrade the road section started.

Member-Secretary of the Trust, Sanuraja Shakya, told RSS that although the country returned to normalcy after coronavirus pandemic, around 600,000 tourists visit Lumbini every year now because of the poor condition of the road.    
Sharing that it took 13 hours to reach Kathmandu from Butwal in an office vehicle, he stressed the need for upgrading alternative roads to increase religious tourists.    
Though infrastructures were developed in Lumbini area, the tourists have been complaining about the problems, especially of the Narayangadh-Butwal road section, he mentioned.    
Arrival of domestic and foreign tourists in Lumbini as well as different districts of western Nepal is expected to increase if the Narayangadh-Butwal road is upgraded on time. -- RSS