BENGALURU : This Republic Day, the tricolour will fly high over the city. Towering at 215 feet, the tallest flag pole in the city is coming up in Vijayanagar, and it is expected to be the star attraction on January 26.
According to Hemanth HG, the contractor carrying out the work, former minister and Vijayanagar MLA M Krishnappa funded the project under the MLA grant. “The flag pole, erected at Chandra Layout, is 210-ft high with a 5-ft Ashoka emblem on top,” he said.
He added that hoisting and unfurling of the tricolour will be done as per the National Flag Code and every two months the flag will be replaced. “Due to wind, the flag may be damaged or torn and hence it will be replaced with a new one. To raise and lower the flag, there is a provision for manual as well as motorised operation. An 8-mm steel wire will be connected to a 3HP motor for smooth operation. Once the project is completed, it will be handed over to the BBMP for annual maintenance,” the contractor added.
The pole weighs 19 tonnes and the pile foundation was done in December. The huge pole was erected using a crane. The work on constructing concrete steps around the flag post is under progress and it will be ready before January 25.
Earlier, a 213-ft flag pole was installed at the National Military Museum near Raj Bhavan. However, the state government received flak over non-maintenance of the flag and the lack of a team operating the hydraulic machine.
Speaking to The New Indian Express, MLA Krishnappa said the project is being executed at a cost of Rs 1 crore under the MLA grant. “The four-headed lion on the pole is not just visible to the residents of Vijayanagar, but also to those in the neighbouring assembly segments,” he said, adding that the works started on November 30 last year.