Mughal Gardens to open for public from tomorrow
With strict social distancing measures, a cap on the number of visitors and no on-the-spot entry, the famed Mughal Gardens of the Rashtrapati Bhawan will kickstart its annual "Udyanotsav" amidst the coronavirus pandemic. The iconic garden at the Rashtrapati Bhawan will be opened for the public by President Ram Nath Kovind from February 13.
Visitors will be allowed in the sprawling garden, which boasts of thousands of flowers and plants, ranging from roses, daisies to lilies, throughout the week, barring Mondays.
Online Booking: Advance online bookings can be made on https://rashtrapatisachivalaya.gov.in or https://rb.nic.in/rbvisit/visit_plan.aspx, according to a statement issued by the Rashtrapati Bhawan.
Timings: There will seven slots from 10 am to 5 pm and 100 people will be allowed in each slot to maintain social distancing. Not more than five people will be allowed to stand in one place so that appropriate distancing can be maintained.
Entry details: Visitors can enter Mughal Garden from gate number 35 of the President's Estate which is close to North Avenue.
Covid-19 guidelines:
- Temperature checks will be done at the entry point of the garden and a person without a face mask will not be allowed to enter.
- The statement said that as part of measures, visitors will not be allowed to bring items like bags, cameras, water bottles when they enter. Adequate arrangements for hand sanitisers, drinking water, and toilets have been made, it said.
- However, there is no restriction to access as people can visit all three parts of the garden - rectangular, long, and circular - apart from the spiritual, herbal, and bonsai gardens.
- People who are susceptible to diseases must avoid visiting the Mughal Gardens this year.
Things to watch in Mughal Gardens:
Among the major attractions at the Mughal Garden will be different types of roses like "American Heritage", "First Prize", "Kiss of Fire" and "Double Delight", and bulbous flowers like "Narcissus", "Dahlia", "Sparaxis", "Ranunculus", "Hyacianth" and "Asiatic Lily".
The visitors can also see some rare types of roses such as the "Green Rose" with thin and long green petals, "Oklahoma" and "Bonne Nuit" with their almost black texture, and "Blue Moon" and "Lady X" with a definite blue hue. The garden is also adorned with multi-coloured pansies and Alyssum flowering plants.
(With PTI inputs)
