Cuttack: President Droupadi Murmu, who is on a 3-day visit to Odisha, travelled by road to Cuttack city amid tight security to attend several programmes.
According to sources, she will offer prayers at Cuttack Chandi Temple, visit the residence of ‘Utkal Gourab’ Madhusudan Das on the premises of Shailabala Women’s Autonomous College and pay floral tributes at his statue. She will also visit the birthplace of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and Netaji Museum.
The President is then scheduled to attend the valedictory ceremony of 75th-year celebrations of Orissa High Court. She will address judges and advocates at Jawaharlal Indoor Stadium. The President will also visit the Museum of Justice in Cuttack, which provides an insight into the history of the Indian legal system. Later in the day, Chief Justice S Muralidhar will host a lunch for her at the judges’ lounge.
She will also address the annual function of SCB Medical College and Hospital and grace the convocation of National Law University, Odisha, here.
Notably, the Cuttack administration has announced closure of educational institutions, government offices and establishments while the Commissionerate Police has imposed traffic restrictions on certain routes in view of her daylong visit to the city. All government offices, banks and public institutions, including the collectorate, in the vicinity of the HC along with 22 educational institutions along the route of the President’s tour will remain closed for the day.
Murmu was accorded a rousing welcome on Tuesday as she arrived in the city, coinciding with her completing one year in office. Governor Ganeshi Lal and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik received her at Biju Patnaik International Airport. Hundreds of people, including tribal men and women, dressed in traditional attire stood on both sides of the road as the car envoy passed. Breaking protocol, Murmu got down from her vehicle and shook hands with children waiting on road to get a glimpse of her. She also reached out to the folk artistes performing outside the airport.
Later in the evening, she had an interaction with a group of medical students whose education is sponsored by Atut Bandhan, a non-profit organisation. She also laid the foundation stone of Kalinga Atithi Nivas on Raj Bhavan premises in presence of the Governor and the CM.