President Ram Nath Kovind inaugurated the Presidential Guest House ‘Jal Kiran’ at Raj Bhavan here on Saturday.

The Guest House will serve as the accommodation for the President of India and the Prime Minister of India during their visits to Mumbai.

Mrs Savita Kovind, wife of the President, Governor CH Vidyasagar Rao, his wife CH Vinodha, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Minister for Higher and Technical Education Vinod Tawde were prominent among those present on the occasion.

Known all along only as an annex to the adjoining Flagstaff Bungalow, Presidential Guest House ‘Jal Kiran’ has been completely renovated and upgraded recently.

The VVIP Guest House will have four suites including the one for the President of India and the Prime Minister.  The VVIP suite comprises a meeting hall, a drawing room and a sea-facing balcony.

Kovind also unveiled the plaque to mark the completion of restoration of the twin cannons which were unearthed from the foothills of Raj Bhavan last year.

It may be recalled that on November 3, 2018, two

identical 22- tonne British era cannons were found lying an abandoned condition in Raj Bhavan here. Each of the cannons weighs 22 tonnes, measures 4.7 meters in length and has a diameter of 1.15 meters.

The two cannons were   lifted using a crane and placed temporarily on the front lawns of Raj Bhavan. The twin cannons, which date back to the pre-World War I era, were then lifted onto the Helipad Lawn and placed there until their restoration in front of the Jal Vihar, the monumental banquet hall.

The cannons, believed to have belonged to the battery near the coast as part of the defence of Bombay Castle from naval attacks, were first spotted by Raj Bhavan staff members during a tree plantation drive.

The President, who is here on a two-day visit, will inaugurate the underground Bunker Museum at Raj Bhavan on Sunday morning.