Prez Murmu arrives in city for 5-day winter sojourn

Hyderabad: President Droupadi Murmu arrived here on Wednesday for a five-day winter sojourn. The President will stay at the Rashtrapati Nilayam till December 21.

Telangana Governor Jishnu Dev Varma, Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka as well as Ministers D Sridhar Babu and Seethakka accorded a ceremonial welcome to the President at the Air Force Station, Hakimpet.

Chief Secretary K Ramakrishna Rao, Director-General of Police B Shivadhar Reddy and senior civil and defence officials were also present. The city police had made tight security arrangements and diverted traffic at various points en route Rashtrapati Nilayam. On December 19, the President will inaugurate the National Conference for the Chairpersons of Public Service Commissions, being organised by the Telangana Public Service Commission here.

On December 19, the President will inaugurate the National Conference for the Chairpersons of Public Service Commissions, being organised by the Telangana Public Service Commission here.On December 20, she will address a conference on ‘Timeless Wisdom of Bharat: Pathways of Peace and Progress’, being organised by the Brahma Kumaris’ Shanti Sarovar to mark its 21st anniversary in Hyderabad.

Officials of the central government and state government as well as Rashtrapati Nilayam personnel have made elaborate arrangements for the President. The police and fire services department have deployed personnel and made adequate fire safety arrangements.

Additionally, the Medical and Health Department has also kept teams on standby at the Rashtrapati Nilayam. A teams of snake catchers has also been kept available round-the-clock at the Rashtrapati Nilayam, as snakes are commonly found on the premises due to the sprawling green area.

The GHMC also has deployed special teams to tackle the monkey menace in the vicinity of the Rashtrapati Nilayam. Arrangements were also made for catching honeybees.

It is customary for the President to stay at least once a year in the Rashtrapati Nilayam and conduct official business from here.

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

First President Rajendra Prasad had stayed here in 1955, and since then, every President has visited Hyderabad for a southern sojourn of at least one week every year.