Sonepur (Bihar), Nov 3 (PTI) Having promised to develop the Sonepur mela, Asia's famed cattle fair, as an international fair on lines of Pushkar in Rajasthan, the Bihar government today estimated there would be a substantial rise in inflow of foreign tourists this time.



"We expect that the inflow of foreign tourists will increase manifold at the almost month-long cattle fair this time," Deputy Chief Minister S K Modi, who inaugurated the fair here on November 1, told PTI.



Around 2.15 lakh visitors have already arrived.



"According to the state tourism department figures, over 50 foreign tourists have arrived so far and several others are expected to reach here soon", he said.



Modi said the state government had decided to develop the Sonepur fair as an "international fair" on the pattern of Harihar Kshetra mela in Pushkar, Rajasthan.

"We have launched a website www.sonepurmela.org, for national and international tourists.