President declares Rashtrapati Niwas in Shimla open for general public

Amid a heavy hailstorm, President Droupadi Murmu on Thursday officially declared the Rashtrapati Niwas here open for the general public, and said people will be allowed to visit from April 23.

Murmu announced this during the 'At Home' ceremony hosted by her at the 173-year-old heritage building located at Chhabra in Mashobra block of Shimla district.

Key attractions for tourists include the main building, official dining halls and artifacts. Other highlights include nature trails and the orchards at the Rashtrapati Niwas.

People will be able to visit the retreat by paying a nominal fee Rs 50 per person for Indian nationals and Rs 250 per person for foreign nationals, officials said.

Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and cabinet colleagues, MLAs, senior civil and police officers of the state, senior military officers and other prominent people of the town attended the 'At Home' function.

Earlier in the day, the President visited the Indian Institute of Advanced Study (IIAS) and toured the picture gallery, library, protected offices and the courtyard of the main building, a statement issued here said.

"I am very happy to visit the Indian Institute of Advanced Study, a premier research institute of the country promoting high-quality academic work in the fields of humanities, social sciences and natural sciences," she wrote in the visitor's book at the institute.

"Set up by my predecessor and renowned scholar Dr S Radhakrishanan, the IIAS encourages free and creative thought processes through research and exchange of ideas. I wish all research scholars, officials and staff a very bright future," Murmu added.