President Pranab Mukherjee laid the foundation stone of a ceremonial hall and transit accommodation at the President's Estate today.
The Ceremonial Hall will be a seamless extension of the existing auditorium and is meant to be indoor space for organizing State Functions during inclement weather.
The proposed hall has been designed to hold a Guard-of-Honour by 90 members of defence personnel, including the army band and will have facilities for media coverage of such functions.
This hall will be able to hold 'At-Home' functions for about 2000 guests. The building will be fully in accordance with universal access principles as well as 'Green Building' norms.
The transit accommodation named "Peacock suites" will have sixteen fully furnished suites in two storey blocks.
Both of the above buildings have been designed in conformity to the guidelines of the Comprehensive Heritage Conservation Master Plan of the Estate prepared by INTACH. It will come up without a single tree being cut and without any damage to the environment.