During her southern sojourn, President Droupadi Murmu will take part in several programmes in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
Published Dec 25, 2022 | 9:18 PM ⚊ Updated Dec 26, 2022 | 3:52 PM
During summers, the Retreat Building at Mashobra, Shimla has been the place for retreat for the President whereas Rashtrapati Nilayam at Bollaram, Hyderabad is for the winter retreat. (Supplied)
The five-day annual southern sojourn of India’s President Droupadi Murmu is all set to kick off on Monday, 26 December with her arrival in Hyderabad.
The Hyderabad visit of the President and family members for a brief stay as part of an annual southern sojourn scheduled in December every year is considered a custom from the 1950s.
During summers, the Retreat Building at Mashobra in Shimla is the place for retreat for the President, whereas the Rashtrapati Nilayam at Bollaram in Hyderabad is for the winter retreat.
Built in 1860, the Rashtrapati Nilayam — formerly known as Residency House — is a majestic building in a sprawling area of 90 acres and has 11 rooms for the presidential stay.
During her-five day stay, the President is also scheduled to visit Andhra Pradesh.
Hyderabad did not host the President for the past two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
This will be the first time President Murmu will be in Hyderabad after being elected the 15th President of India.
After landing in Hyderabad, Murmu is expected to have a brief stay at the Rashtrapati Nilayam at Bollaram in the Secunderabad cantonment area.
Then she would fly down to the temple town of Srisailam in the Nandyal district of Andhra Pradesh and have darshan (view) of Lord Mallikarjuna Swamy and Goddess Bramarambika temples.
In an official note, the Andhra Pradesh government said that Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, his Cabinet colleagues, and MLAs from the region would receive the President at Srisailam.
She is also scheduled to inaugurate the ₹43-crore Pilgrimage Rejuvenation And Spiritual Augmentation Drive (PRASAD) of the Tourism Department during her visit to the temple.
Murmu is scheduled to visit the famous Ramappa temple in the Mulugu district on 28 December. The temple was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site last year.
On the same day, she will also visit the Bhadrachalam temple in the Bhadradri Kothagudem district and participate in local programmes, as per Telangana Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar.
As per the Telangana government, Murmu will also participate in the unveiling of the plaque of Har Dil Dhyan to mark the sesquicentennial (150th) birth celebrations of Sri Ramachandraji Maharaj of Fatehpur by Sri Ramchandra Mission at Kanha Shanti Vanam.
Somesh Kumar, who last week chaired a coordination meeting with various heads of the department, directed the officials to work in coordination so that there would be no interruptions during the President’s programmes.
Multi-layered security arrangements have been made in view of the visit of President Murmu to Hyderabad.
The Hyderabad Traffic Police on 24 December announced traffic restrictions between Bollaram and Somajiguda on 26 and 27 December, suggesting alternative routes.
On 26 December, traffic congestion is expected from 3 pm to 10 pm on the Hakimpet-Trimulgherry-Karkhana-Secunderabad Club-Tivoli-Plaza–Begumpet-Raj Bhavan Road-Somajiguda route.
On 27 December, traffic congestion is expected between 9 am and 12 noon, on the Hakimpet-Trimulgherry-Karkhana-Secunderabad Club-Tivoli-Plaza-CTO-Paradise-Ranigunj-Karbala-Tank Bund-Liberty-Himayath Nagar Y Junction-Narayanguda Cross Road-YMCA route.
