President Droupadi Murmu begins maiden two-day visit to Mizoram today

President Droupadi Murmu will arrive in Mizoram on Thursday on her maiden two-day visit to the Northeastern state.

Murmu is scheduled to land at the Lengpui airport near Aizawl at 1.50 pm, from where she will fly to Mizoram University (MZU) at Tanhril on the western outskirts of the state capital by helicopter to attend its convocation, officials said.

More than 6,800 students will be conferred with degrees, including PhD (38) and M.Phil (six), they said.

This is Murmu's first visit to Mizoram after becoming the president. She had visited the state for the presidential poll campaign on July 7.

Murmu will inaugurate various education-related projects, including the permanent campus of the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC-Aizawl), officials said.

The president will also inaugurate and lay foundation stones of various projects of the Centre and the state government, they said.

After gracing the MZU convocation, the president will also interact with woman students, and members of self-help groups at the varsity.

She will also attend a cultural programme at Raj Bhavan in the evening.

Murmu will address a special session of the Mizoram assembly at 10.15 am on Friday before leaving the state.

She is the third president to address the state assembly after APJ Abdul Kalam (2005) and Ram Nath Kovind (2017), officials said.

Aizawl district's Superintendent of Police C Lalruaia said security has been tightened in the state, especially in the capital, in view of the president's visit.

All policemen in the state capital have been engaged in the security arrangements, he said.

Security checks have also been intensified at Lengpui airport, Raj Bhavan, Mizoram University and other places the president will visit, another police officer said.

Aizawl's SP (Traffic) Rodingliana Chawngthu notified traffic regulations as part of the security arrangements.

"No parking" will be enforced and no material or stuff be placed along the stretch of MZU to Raj Bhavan road on Thursday between 6 am to 6 pm, and also along the road between Raj Bhavan and Thuampui helipad via Chaltlang from 9 am on Thursday to 12:30 pm on Friday, the notification said.

The notification also urged the people to ensure that the movement of the president is not interrupted during her visit.

Aizawl district administration issued an order banning drone cameras and other related devices in and around Lengpui, Sairang, ITI Mualpui, MZU, Pachhunga University College and Raj Bhavan.

The president visited Nagaland on Wednesday, and she will fly to Sikkim after addressing the Mizoram assembly on Friday, officials said.