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Govt slashes R-Day parade duration
This year's traditional Republic Day parade in New Delhi will be shortened by 45 minutes to sustain public interest and participation.
This year's traditional Republic Day parade in New Delhi will be shortened by 45 minutes to sustain public interest and participation.
"The duration has been reduced. It is just too long," Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Tuesday said in New Delhi. Ministry sources asserted that the move had nothing to do with the tsunami disaster.
The sources said the duration of the parade will be reduced from two-and-a-half hours to one hour and 45 minutes.
The decision was taken by the Republic Day Committee at a recent meeting, the sources said. The 150-minute duration was too long to keep the interest of the people, they added.
While school children's contingents from Delhi have been reduced from six to three, the five from other zones remain the same.
Instead of 29 tableaux, there would be 22 this time and the marching contingents of the armed and paramilitary forces have been reduced from 29 to 22, the sources added.
