Inclement weather forced President Pranab Mukherjee, who came to Dehradun on Monday morning to inaugurate an annexe of Ashiana, the presidential retreat in the city located on Rajpur Road, to leave for Delhi half an hour before the schedule.
Ashiana which consists of the main building and an annexe aside from the upper stables and the lower stables, was inaugurated by the President on September 27, 2016 following its renovation. Built originally as a bungalow of the Commandant of the President’s Bodyguard, it had remained unoccupied for a long time. KR Narayanan was the last President who stayed in this retreat during his visit to the city in March 1998.
The Annexe of the presidential retreat that was inaugurated on Monday by the President comprises 12 low -cost dwelling units which have been constructed to accommodate the officers and the staff members of Rashtrapati Bhavan during the presidential visits to Ashiana. The technology used for renovation is sustainable, cost effective, green and environment friendly with provision of disaster resilient features, sources say. Treated water is safely discharged for irrigation and non-drinking usage to ensure mitigation of the disease risk, they add.