As Presidential estates welcome visitors, citizen engagement soars
CULTURE –ARCHITECTURE
2 NOVEMBER 2025
- To maximise access and engagement with the public, the President’s Estate expanded from a single location in Delhi with the opening of its estates in Hyderabad, Shimla, and Dehradun to the public.
- This resulted in a surge in visitors, pushing up the number of physical visitors from approximately 7 lakh before the COVID-19 pandemic to over 20.5 lakh in 2024.
- The total citizen engagement (physical and digital) reached over 49 lakh visitors in 2024, signifying a 600% increase, validating President Droupadi Murmu’s vision to turn Rashtrapati Bhavan into ‘Rashtra ka bhavan’ (the nation’s building).
- The number of visitors to the main building of the Rashtrapati Bhavan in Delhi also registered a significant rise, following the opening of public access to it, the data show, with visitors increasing from 31,230 in 2022 to 1,44,406 in 2023, and 2,01,000 in 2024.
- An enhanced viewing schedule for the Rashtrapati Bhavan’s main building was officially announced on May 16, 2023, opening it for public viewing for six days a week, from Tuesday to Sunday, beginning June 1, 2023, increasing capacity by 200%.
- Rashtrapati Nilayam (Hyderabad), and Rashtrapati Nivas (Shimla), were opened to the public for the first time in March 2023, and Rashtrapati Niketan (Dehradun) was opened to the public in June 2025.
- Rashtrapati Nilayam is the official winter retreat for the President of India in Hyderabad, Telangana. It is a 97-acre estate.
- Rashtrapati Niwas is the official summer residence of the President of India, located in Shimla, Himachal Pradesh.
- Rashtrapati Niketan is an official presidential retreat in Dehradun, Uttarakhand,
- “At each estate, new attractions and thematic experiences have been added to increase capacity, and create diverse avenues for citizens’ participation,” the official said.
- With enhanced accessibility, revamped ceremonies, including the Change of Guard, visitors can engage with the historical, and institutional importance of the republic’s highest office, the official added.
