President to open Rashtrapati Bhavan's annual Udyanotsav tomorrow

President Ram Nath Kovind will open the annual 'Udyanotsav' of Rashtrapati Bhavan on February 12. The Mughal gardens in Delhi are all set to open from this coming Saturday. Visitors will be allowed to visit the venue only with prior booking.

"The Mughal Gardens will remain open for the general public from February 13, 2021, to March 21, 2021 (except on Mondays which are maintenance days) between 1000 hours to 1700 hours," stated the press release by the President's Secretariat.

As precautionary measures, a walk-in entry will not be available this year. Visitors will be allowed to see the gardens only through advance online booking.

Seven pre-booked hourly slots will be available between 1000 hours and 1700 hours. Last entry will be at 1600 hours. Each slot can accommodate a maximum of 100 persons.

During the tour, visitors will have to follow COVID-19 protocols such as wearing of a mask, maintaining social distance etc. They will have to undergo thermal screening at the entry point. People vulnerable to the COVID-19 are discouraged from the tour.

Entry and exit for all visitors will be from Gate No. 35 of the President's Estate, close to where North Avenue meets Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Visitors are requested not to bring any water bottles, briefcases, handbags/ladies purses, cameras, radios/transistors, boxes, umbrellas, eatables etc. Arrangements of hand stizers, drinking water, toilets, first aid / medical facility are provided at various places along the public route.

Apart from the annual opening of Mughal Gardens, people can visit Rashtrapati Bhavan and Rashtrapati Bhavan Museum as well as witness the Change of Guard Ceremony.

( With inputs from ANI )