Telangana and its Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao have succeeded in their bid to hoist India’s tallest and largest flag on the occasion of the State’s formation. The Airports Authority of India and Director General of Civil Aviation have granted permission to hoist a massive flag atop a near 300 ft. flagpole after the State revised its application to reflect “correct” mean sea elevation of Hyderabad.
Officials claim initial figures submitted showed Hyderabad on higher ground. “After we corrected the city’s mean sea elevation, AAI increased the limit of the flag post’s height. From the ground, the pole’s top will measure about 300 feet,” said a senior government official.
It can be concurred that AAI has permitted to raise the height of the flag by 25 ft., as permission granted earlier was for a 275-ft. tall pole. Hyderabad’s mean sea level is said to be between 536 and 542 metres according to varying sources, but the government’s submission to AAI could not be ascertained immediately.
Accolade for hoisting the tallest flag rests with Jharkhand when the State unfurled a flag atop a 293-ft. pole in January this year. Not only will Telangana usurp this title, but it will also claim to have unfurled the largest national flag weighing 60 kg, on Thursday. The flag takes 20 minutes to be hauled to the mast with a winch.
The 100-tonne pole made from galvanised steel is bolted to a 1.5-metre reinforced concrete base. “The winch will work fast to take the flag up in eight minutes on Thursday. We cannot make the CM wait 20 minutes. At the press of a button, it will unfurl,” the official said. The flag measures 108 ft. by 72 ft., and is set to become part of Telangana’s heritage.
“We have procured five flags. Once hoisted, it will remain there only to be brought down once a month for inspection,” the official said.
Published - June 02, 2016 12:00 am IST
