Security has been tightened as President Pratibha Patil [Images] is slated to arrive in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday afternoon for a two-day visit to Kerala [Images]. This is her first trip to the state after assuming office.

After a lavish reception on her arrival that included a guard-of-honour by armed forces, Governor R L Bhatia would host her a dinner preceded by cultural programmes in the evening.

 The President would be accorded a civic reception on Thursday at the Central Stadium in the city.

She would inaugurate the Clean Kerala Mission at the same venue later and would visit Kovalam beach resort in the afternoon. Tight security measures have been put in place here in view of the President's visit and also the dawn-to-dusk hartal called by the BJP state unit on Thursday to protest bifurcation of Palakkad rail division for creating Salem division.

The President would leave for Chennai on November 2.