New ₹33.5-crore maintenance plan for 500 Tricolours in Delhi

New Delhi After repeated episodes of strong winds and dust storms damaged the city’s 500 “Monumental Tricolour” installations, the Delhi government is set to introduce a new maintenance system and spend ₹33

New Delhi After repeated episodes of strong winds and dust storms damaged the city’s 500 “Monumental Tricolour” installations, the Delhi government is set to introduce a new maintenance system and spend ₹33.47 crore on replacing and maintaining the flags with a more durable fabric designed to withstand extreme weather, including winds of up to Category-1 hurricane strength, officials aware of the matter said.

Most of the existing flags are mounted on 35-metre-high poles, while some installations have poles as high as 50 metres (Hindustan Times)

Public Works Department (PWD) officials said a team constituted earlier this year finalised a fabric capable of withstanding gusty winds, wear and tear, rain and prolonged exposure to the elements. The new flags will use 180 GSM (grammes per square metre) hydrophobic-coated polyester fabric, with reinforced stitching, triple-folded hems and heavy-duty polyester webbing, based on a study commissioned by PWD.

The new contract will require the agency maintaining the installations to deploy at least 10 mobile teams, each equipped with a covered pickup van, electricians, helpers and drivers. Each team will be responsible for an average of 50 flags and must attend complaints within four hours. Failure to do so will attract a penalty of ₹3,000 per hour for each flag mast.

The agency will also have to lower the flags in advance when forecasts indicate violent storms or winds exceeding 120 kmph, to prevent damage and maintain the dignity of the national flag. Once the weather improves, the flags must be re-hoisted within three days. Delays will attract a penalty of ₹6,000 per flag per day, officials said.

Most of the existing flags are mounted on 35-metre-high poles, while some installations have poles as high as 50 metres. They have repeatedly been damaged during storms and high-speed winds, with torn portions of fabric sometimes blowing away.

Officials said the new fabric will be water- and stain-resistant. “Its hydrophobic coating will prevent rainwater from being absorbed, reducing the weight of the massive flags when wet. The three colours will be woven using silk threads,” the official explained.

The specifications also prescribe thread with tensile strength of more than 8kg, heavy-duty polyester webbing along all four sides, seam-lock tape over stitched seams and an additional 180 GSM polyester lining between panels to reinforce joints. The flags will have eight-row lock stitching on the hoist edge, six-row stitching on the remaining edges, triple-folded hems and a minimum stitch density of 10 stitches per inch.

The move follows a series of intense dust storms in Delhi, with wind speeds crossing 100 kmph in some instances. HT reported in June that frequent damage had prompted the government to commission a study into fabrics that could better withstand sustained winds, rain and extreme weather. PWD minister Parvesh Verma had said engineers were examining changes in GSM and stitching quality.

Torn flags were reported from several locations, including Sarojini Nagar, Seemapuri, Nand Nagari, Nizamuddin, Shakurpur, Madanpur Khadar, Ashok Vihar, Malviya Nagar, Dilshad Colony, Sadar Bazar and Dhaula Kuan.

The monumental flag project was launched in 2022 under the previous Aam Aadmi Party government’s “Deshbhakti” budget, with around 500 installations planned at major intersections, roads and public locations. The initial installation cost was estimated at ₹104 crore.

The new system will also require continuous monitoring and detailed complaint records. Failure to maintain proper records could attract an additional penalty of ₹10,000 per day, officials said.