Shimla: President Pranab Mukherjee arrived in Shimla for his five-day sojourn today. The President landed at Kalyani helipad at Chharabra, and was received by Governor Kalyan Singh and Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh.
From the helipad, the President drove straight to ‘The Retreat’, his summer holiday resort in Mashobra.
Irrigation and Public Health Minister Vidya Stokes, Transport Minister G.S. Bali, Industries Minister Mukesh Agnihotri, Forest Minister Thakur Singh Bharmouri, Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Dr. (Col.) Dhani Ram Shandil, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Anil Sharma, Mayor, Shimla Municipal Corporation Sanjay Chauhan, Chief Secretary P. Mitra, Additional Chief Secretary V.C. Pharka, Director General of Police Sanjay Kumar, Officer Commanding in Chief, ARTRAC Lt. General Raman Dhawan, Deputy Commissioner Dinesh Malhotra, other dignitaries, senior army officers and senior officers of the State Government were also present on the occasion.
The state government has made elaborate security arrangement for the President. Police personnel were deployed at most part of the Shimla and nearby places. Due to the security checks and heavy tourists rush, traffic standstill the most part of the Shimla city. Police personnel remained busy directing motorists and ensuring smooth flow of the traffic.
