Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday unfurled a 115-ft high tricolour in Timarpur constituency and said such high-mast national flags were installed at 75 locations across the city to mark 75th year of India's Independence. He said that he will get it examined if this qualifies for a Guinness world record.
“It is a matter of pride for the country that 75 tricolours on 115-ft high flagpoles have been installed today in Delhi to mark 75th year of our independence. The target is to install total 500 in the next few months," he said at the ceremony organised near Delhi University campus in Timarpur assembly constituency. "I have been told that in no city, tricolours (national flags) on flagpoles of this height have been installed on such a large scale. We will get it examined if it qualifies for a Guinness world record," Kejriwal said.
These high-mast national flags are being set up at public places like parks, big school buildings, market complexes, residential complexes, grounds, road roundabouts, among others. Some of the locations where the 115 ft high tricolours have been installed include AIIMS roundabout, near Signature Bridge, Dhaula Kuan Enclave-2, Mall Road, Outer Ring Road, Pitampura, Delhi Cantonment, Rajiv Gandhi Stadium, near the Azadpur Metro Station, among others.
Till August 15, 2021, the PWD had installed high-mast national flags at five locations in the city, that is, at East Kidwai Nagar, Rani Bagh, Patparganj, Kalkaji and Dwarka. The total number of high-mast tricolours in the city is now 80.
The chief minister said that the aim behind the move was that the national flag should be visible to every citizen two to three times a day when they step out for work. “Many a times, we are caught up in our daily lives to an extent that we forget our country and the society. This tricolour will make us remember about those who sacrificed everything for the independence of the country. This will instil a sense of patriotism among people,” he said.
The installation of high-mast national flags is being done by the Public Works Department (PWD) under Delhi government's 'Deshbhakti Budget' to celebrate India's 75 year of Independence. Under the project, installation of high-mast tricolours at 500 locations is to be done. Kejriwal said, "All these 500 flags were to be set up by this Republic Day, but due to ban on construction activities owing to rising pollution and coronavirus pandemic, the project was delayed."
“Remaining tricolours will be set up in next few months,” he said. He added that these tricolours would be erected in a way that those are visible at every 2-3 kilometres. In March last year, the Delhi government had announced its annual budget themed on patriotism and named Deshbhakti budget under which Rs 45 crore were set aside to install high-mast tricolours at 500 locations across the national capital. Later in September last year, the AAP government had increased the budget and approved an amount of Rs 104.37 crore for the project.
