NEW DELHI: A day after around 200 high-mast flags were damaged in a massive storm that hit the national capital, public works department on Thursday said a private agency will be hired to maintain such flags installed at 500 locations.
A fierce hailstorm, heavy rainfall and winds with a speed of 79 kilometres per hour battered Delhi-NCR late on Wednesday evening, claiming three lives, uprooting trees and affecting road transport and air traffic.
According to an official, these flags erected on 115-foot-high poles were made out of polyester to prevent them from frequent damage. However, they could not withstand strong winds.
“We have started replacing the damaged national flags since early morning. Ten teams are on the ground inspecting the condition of the flags. Around 200 flags will need replacement.
“The work will be completed in the next two days,” the official stated.
The public works department has floated a tender to hire an agency for two years to maintain these large flags with an outlay of Rs 27 crore.
The installation of large tricolours across the city began in 2022 when the previous AAP government, under its ‘Deshbhakti’ budget, announced the initiative aimed at generating a sense of nationalism.
“This is the second time in the last few days that the flags were damaged. Just a few days ago, almost all the flags were wrecked and we replaced them, and now they are damaged again. We plan to soon hire a private company for their maintenance. A tender has been floated,” said
another official.
Tricolours installed at key road intersections follow the 2002 Flag Code of India. A private agency will be hired for their upkeep, ensuring cleanliness and maintenance.
On Wednesday, strong winds up to 79 kmph and brief rainfall were recorded across Delhi, impacting several areas, including Safdarjung, Mayur Vihar and Pitampura.