President unveils 'Udyan Utsav 2023'; 'Amrit Udyan' open for public Tuesday

President Droupadi Murmu on Sunday inaugurated Udyan Utsav-2023 -- the opening of the Rashtrapati Bhavan gardens, including the rechristened 'Amrit Udyan', for the public.

The iconic Mughal Gardens at the Rashtrapati Bhavan was renamed Amrit Udyan on Saturday. The resplendent gardens are open to the public once a year and people can visit from January 31 this time.

Amrit Udyan will remain open for visitors from January 31 to March 26 between 10 am and 4 pm, a statement issued by the Rashtrapati Bhavan on Sunday said.

From March 28 to 31, the gardens will be open for special categories. For farmers on March 28, for differently-abled persons on March 29, for defence, paramilitary forces and police personnel on March 30 and for women, including tribal women's self-help groups, on March 31.

Originally, the garden at Rashtrapati Bhavan included East Lawn, Central Lawn, Long Garden and Circular Garden.

During the term of former presidents Dr A P J Abdul Kalam and Ram Nath Kovind, more gardens were developed, namely, Herbal-I, Herbal-II, Tactile Garden, Bonsai Garden and Arogya Vanam.

In this year's Udyan Utsav, among several other attractions, visitors will be able to see specially cultivated tulips of 12 unique varieties which are expected to bloom in phases.

This time, the gardens -- Herbal Garden, Bonsai Garden, Central Lawn, Long Garden and Circular Garden -- will be open to the public for about two months.

People can book their slots well in advance online. Booking can be made at https://rashtrapatisachivalaya.gov.in or https://rb.nic.in/rbvisit/visit_plan.aspx.

Walk-in visitors can also get entry into the gardens. However, they will have to register themselves at the facilitation counters as well as at the self-service kiosk near gate no 12 of Rashtrapati Bhavan.

It is advisable to book a slot online in advance to avoid the rush and save time, the Rashtrapati Bhavan said in a statement on Saturday.

Entry and exit for all visitors will be from gate number 35 of the President's Estate, close to where North Avenue meets Rashtrapati Bhavan.