President arrives on two-day Jharkhand trip

Ranchi: President Pranab Mukherjee arrived here on a two-day Jharkhand trip on Saturday.

The President reached the state capital by a special aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF).

He will be laying foundation stones of Rabindra Bhawan, which will be built at the old town hall, and Haj House that is to come up at Kadru in Ranchi, on Sunday.

Mukherjee will also visit Deoghar on Sunday to inaugurate the 44-km solar street light link project between pilgrim towns of Deoghar and Basukinath. Besides, he will lay foundation stones of an ESI hospital, software technology park and motor driving training school in Deoghar. He will also offer puja at Baba Baidyanath Dham, the temple listed among 12 Jyotirlingas and 51 Shaktipeeths.

The administrations of the both the towns have made elaborate security arrangements for the President’s visit. Police personnel on Saturday conducted a mock drill at Birsa Munda Airport in Ranchi.

Governor Droupadi Murmu, chief minister Raghubar Das, Ranchi mayor Asha Lakra, chief secretary Rajbala Verma, DGP D K Pandey and officials of the Ranchi district administration received Mukherjee at the airport. He stayed at Raj Bhawan.

It may be mentioned here that Rabindra Bhawan is coming up at an estimated cost of Rs 155.52 crore. The Ranchi administration has demolished the town hall for the new building. It will have a multipurpose hall, an auditorium — each with a seating capacity of 1500 — four meeting halls each with a seating capacity of 50, 20 guest rooms and a multilevel parking facility to accommodate 500 vehicles.

First Published: Apr 02, 2017 14:06 IST