India celebrates its 76th Republic Day on Sunday with President Droupadi Murmu leading the fete and Prime Minister Narendra Modi paying tributes to the fallen heroes at the National War Memorial. Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto will grace the occasion as the chief guest.
The focus of the celebrations will be 75 years of enactment of the Constitution and Jan Bhagidari and will showcase India’s rich cultural diversity, unity, equality, development and military prowess.
The R-Day parade at Kartavya Path will have around 10,000 Special Guests, from different walks of life, witnessing it. They include performers in various fields and those who have made the best use of government schemes.
The highlights of the Parade will be the first-of-its-kind tri-services tableau with the theme ‘Shashakt aur Surakshit Bharat’. The tableau will depict the spirit of jointness and integration among the armed forces and a joint operations room facilitating seamless communication and networking across the three Services.
A melody of 300 cultural artists playing ‘Sare Jahan Se Achha’ using musical instruments from across the country will also be a unique event at the Parade. The instruments include Shehnai, Sundari, Nadaswaram, Mashak Been, Ransingha, Flute, Chenda, Thavil, and many more.
Sixteen state and Union Territory tableaux and ten Central Government ministries and department tableaux will showcase the theme ‘Swarnim Bharat: Virasat aur Vikas’. Meanwhile, Mi-17 IV helicopters from the 129 Helicopter Unit will shower petals during the Dhwaj Formation as part of the National Flag trooping ceremony, according to the statement issued by the government.
Tight security
Security has been heightened in the national capital on the occasion r 70 companies of paramilitary forces and more than 70,000 police personnel deployed across the city.
A six-layered security protocol involving 15,000 security personnel will be deployed in the New Delhi district alone to monitor Kartavya Path. Besides, over 2,500 CCTV cameras have been equipped with data-based facial recognition and video analytics.
The security cover will also have commandoes, quick reaction teams, PCR vans, anti-sabotage checks and SWAT teams deployed at strategic locations along Kartavya Path and the city. "Anti-drone systems covering a four-kilometre radius to detect and deactivate aerial threats. Snipers on rooftops and sealing of over 200 buildings along the parade route, with residential windows facing the route also secured," a police officer told PTI.
There are also restrictions on traffic movement, especially in central Delhi. No traffic movement has been allowed on Kartavya Path from Vijay Chowk to India Gate, where the Parade is being held.
Starting from Vijay Chowk, the Parade will move towards the Red Fort, passing through Kartavya Path, C-Hexagon, Subhas Chandra Bose roundabout, Tilak Marg, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, Netaji Subhas Marg and Red Fort.