President to reach Hyderabad on Dec 18 for southern sojourn

Hyderabad, Dec 13 (IANS) President Droupadi Murmu will arrive in Hyderabad on December 18 for a five-day southern sojourn.

The President will stay at Rashtrapati Nilayam, the official presidential retreat at Bolarum in Secunderabad, the twin city of Hyderabad, till December 23.

Chief Secretary Santhi Kumari on Wednesday held a meeting with top officials of various departments to review the arrangements for the President’s visit and stay. She instructed the officials to ensure proper coordination and make elaborate arrangements in a befitting manner.

According to an official release, the Police department was told to make adequate security, traffic and bandobast arrangements. The Health, R&B, Municipal, Energy and other line departments were also directed to make foolproof arrangements as per the blue book.

DGP Ravi Gupta, Special Chief Secretary Sunil Sharma, Secretary GAD V. Seshadri, Secretary Health S.A.M. Rizvi, senior police officers and senior officials of line departments attended the meeting.

This will be Murmu’s second visit to Hyderabad for southern sojourn since she was elected to the highest office in July last year.

The P:resident stays at least once a year in Rashtrapati Nilayam and conducts official business from here.

The building was constructed in 1860 as the country house of the British Resident at Secunderabad. After Hyderabad state's accession to India in 1948, it became the President's retreat.

Mir Osman Ali Khan, then raj pramukh of Hyderabad, had officially handed over Rashrapati Nilayam to the government on August 14, 1955. It became the third official residence of the President after Rashtrapati Bhavan in Delhi and Rashtrapati Nivas in Shimla.

Spread over 90 acres, the retreat's premises comprise a sprawling landscaped garden, seasonal flowering plants, potted plants, natural cascading waterfalls and seven different types of nutrition gardens.

The building has 20 rooms which include a dining hall and a movie theatre.

First President Babu Rajendra Prasad had stayed here in 1955 and since then every President visited Hyderabad for southern sojourn at least one week every year. In March this year, Rashtrapati Nilayam was thrown open to the public. However, it will remain shut during December for the public in view of the President’s annual sojourn.

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