Drench yourself in the colours of patriotism

The city administration has taken a number of initiatives to make your Independence Day engaging and interesting

Civic agencies are going all out to make this Independence Day a memorable affair for Delhi residents. The National Flag at Central Park has become a meeting point for grand celebrations with laser lights, fireworks, musical concerts and even a film show on the Tricolour.

Purani Dilli will be opened up to the rest of Delhi to explore its monuments and markets on foot with Raahgiri Day. Programmes are lined up across other parts of the city too with the three municipal corporations planning sanitation drives, plantations and small events. I-Day fervour will be unmistakably present wherever you venture in the city on August 15. 

To facilitate the Prime Minister’s decision to have 1,000 members of the general public present at Red Fort during his first I-Day speech as PM, DTC is offering free rides on all buses leading to Old Delhi from 6-10 am that day.

They will be playing patriotic songs through the route. After the I-Day celebrations are over at Red Fort, the area will be freed of traffic and left open to pedestrians to explore on foot the delights old Delhi offers. This is on the orders of Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung to declare Raahgiri Day at Chandni Chowk on August 15. NDMC is also holding skating, zumba, yoga and cycling events here on I-Day.     

Connaught Place will turn into another celebratory zone. The classy shopping arcade is being spruced up for the big day. It will be the venue for a large photo exhibition displaying 30-35 photographs from the era of the Independence struggle. It will also showcase rare moments of everyday life and nation building from 1930s to 1960s.

The gigantic Tricolour at Central Park will be highlighted using laser lights; there will be kite flying, fireworks, a slide show projection using the natural white facade of inner circle and a musical concert by the Flag Foundation of India featuring singer Siddharth Mohan.

The three municipal corporations have initiated a city-wide cleanliness drive under which citizens will also aid in cleaning dhalaos, removal of garbage, silt and construction waste. Eleven lakh saplings will also be planted as part of a plantation drive. 

Given the security threat to PM Modi, a tighter security arrangement will also be in place this time. Thousands of armed personnel will keep a hawk-eyed vigil to pre-empt any possible terror strikes, especially, at markets, malls and the route to be taken by the Prime Minister’s cavalcade on August 15 morning. Beware of traffic around Rajghat, where the PM will lay a wreath at the samadhi of Mahatma Gandhi.