Hyderabad’s iconic Rashtrapati Nilayam being spruced up further to woo tourists

The official retreat of the President of India in Hyderabad, Telangana – Rashtrapati Nilayam — which was opened for the general public since March 22 this year has been attracting people in droves. Many new attractions are being added now to bring in more visitors, especially children and foreign tourists.

Talking to the media about these, Dr. K. Rajani Priya, Manager of RN said: “We have laid the foundation stones for attractions like a maze garden, children’s park, and musical fountains. These should be completed before December.”

Besides these, work is going on for constructing the replica flag post, visitor facilitation and a Shiva statue atop the water cascade at Rock Garden.

The old step wells of the RN which had been providing water for residential use, cooking, gardening and other uses are being repaired because of their historical and practical importance.

At present visitors can enjoy a scholar-guided tour of the 163-year-old main heritage building of Nilayam, and the Knowledge Gallery with historical tales and original gifts. The other attractions include the kitchen tunnel that connects the dining hall to the Nilayam kitchen and is decorated with GI tagged traditional Cheriyal art portraying the rich culture and heritage of Telangana and the historic Flag Post site.

Incidentally, Cheriyal is a village which is located 90 kilometres from Hyderabad and that is where this art is produced. These scroll paintings depict narratives from the Puranas, the folklore and epics.

The ancient flagstaff which was 120-feet tall had been disassembled for safety reasons and a part of it is exhibited in the Knowledge Gallery.

There are several theme parks also in the premises to stroll and relax. These are based on diverse themes and include the Nakshatra Garden, the Herbal Garden, the Butterfly Garden and the Rock Garden.

The President’s Estate offers varied flora for people to see and enjoy. They can know more about the fruits, flowers and trees by scanning the QR codes.

To make the visit of tourists comfortable, a cafeteria has been set up in collaboration with the Telangana Tourism Department. Also, there are facilities like free parking, RO water dispensers throughout the campus, restrooms, cloakroom, wheelchair access and E-carts for senior citizens.

Open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on all days except Monday and public holidays, the registration fees for Indian nationals is Rs.50 and for foreign visitors it is Rs.250. Children of Government school too are exempted from payment of fee.