Changes In Republic Day's Parade: Defence Ministry

The guest list and parade have been cut short this year

New Delhi: Ahead of the Republic Day Annual celebration, the parade will begin half an hour later than usual this year. With foggy days predicted around January 26, the parade will start at 10.30 am instead of 10 am for better visibility, the Defence Ministry has decided.

According to a senior Defence Ministry official said: "Since it is being predicted that it will be a foggy morning for a better viewing experience for spectators at the parade, ten large LED screens - five on each side of Rajpath - will be installed."

Curated films combining footage from previous Republic Day Parades, short films on the Armed Forces and stories related to various events in the run-up to Republic Day 2022 will be screened before the parade begins. Later, the screens will beam the parade live.

Amid the COVID-19 situation, the guest list and parade have been cut short this year. Approximately 24,000 people will be allowed to attend the Republic Day parade this year, because of the Covid situation in Delhi.

As the sources said," Out of the approximately 24,000 people who will be attending the parade this year, 19,000 are invited and the rest are the general public, who can purchase tickets."

Last year too, the parade took place amid the Covid pandemic and close to 25,000 people were allowed to attend it. For the second year in a row, the parade may not have any foreign dignitary as chief guest. But several firsts are lined up this time.

"This year's Republic Day falls in the 75th year of India's Independence is celebrated as Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav. You will see many firsts during the main parade on Rajpath on January 26 as also during the "Beating Retreat" ceremony on January 29," an officer said.

Security agencies have fortified the areas around Rajpath, the ceremonial road on which the parade takes place, with multilayer security after a bomb was found and defused at the Ghazipur flower market just days before the parade.

"We have installed 300 CCTVs with facial recognition systems to keep an eye on every movement in this area," a senior officer said.

This year, the parade will be held on a new-look Central Vista with changes for the first time to an iconic British-built part of Delhi. The government is racing against time to get the ceremonial road Rajpath partially ready for the annual January 26 show of India's military might and culture.

British-style chairs, lights and new pathways connected with stormwater drains are ready, officials say, adding that heavy rain in the past few days slowed down the work.