PUNE: Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) will pay a private firm ₹46.85 lakh annually to maintain the 107-metre high pole with the national flag at Bhakti Shakti chowk.
“The Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation standing committee on Monday gave its approval for the project and the private firm will maintain the flag on the pole for eight months in a year, from October 1 to May 31,” said Sanjay Khabde, executive engineer, PCMC, adding that the flag will not be hoisted during the four months during monsoon and tendering for next year will be conducted separately.
“We consulted an expert committee from VJIT College Mumbai (textile department) before deciding to appoint a private firm,” said Shravan Hardikar, municipal commissioner, PCMC. The civic administration initiated the project’s tendering process on Monday.
According to civic officials, the height of pole and wind cause the flag to tear. The flag needs to be replaced every four or five days. The civic body checked the option of wind-resistant flag with the textile department of VJIT College Mumbai and, as per the latter’s consultation, decided to hire a private firm.
The opposition party in PCMC has criticised the civic body’s plan. Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Datta Sane said that the fund allocated for the project is high. “We all respect our national flag, but is it necessary to spend almost ₹50 lakh to a private firm to maintain the flag?” he said.
PCMC constructed the 107-metre flagpole at Bhakti Shakti chowk in 2017 and claims that it’s the highest in the country. Official records, however, state that the 110-metre flagpole at Belgaum is the highest in the country, followed by the flag pole at Attari border that stands tall at 109 metres.
{{/usCountry}}PCMC constructed the 107-metre flagpole at Bhakti Shakti chowk in 2017 and claims that it’s the highest in the country. Official records, however, state that the 110-metre flagpole at Belgaum is the highest in the country, followed by the flag pole at Attari border that stands tall at 109 metres.
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