Telangana's 'tallest flag in India' faces aerial blip

Even as preparations are on at Hyderabad's Sanjeevaiah Park for chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao to unfurl the tallest tricolour (at 303 feet) on June 2, the day Telangana into existence - the Airports Authority of India has said it cannot permit the flag at a height more than 167 feet. 

The argument is that a 300-foot flag will be a distraction for trainer and VIP aircraft that take off from the Hakimpet air base and Begumpet airport in the heart of the city. 

The Telangana government, however, is keen to at least hoist a 295-foot flag so that it can beat the tricolour at Ranchi's Pahari Mandir which stands 293 feet tall. The Ranchi tricolour was hoisted this Republic Day on the same spot where the British used to hang Indian freedom fighters. 

Negotiations are still on to resolve the height of the pole in Hyderabad. The leader of the Telangana Rashtra Samiti Parliamentary Party AP Jitender Reddy told Asianet Newsable, "We have agreed to reduce the height but the final decision is yet to be taken."

Even if the Telangana government sticks to its guns, it will stay in the record books for a mere seven months as the Border Security Force will install a 350-foot high national flag at the Wagah border in January 2017. The idea is to ensure the flag is visible from both Amritsar and Lahore. 

Meanwhile, work is on at the Sanjeevaiah Park to get the 92 kg flag up and fluttering. At 72x108 feet, will be India's biggest flag. 

The Roads and Buildings department that is in charge of the project has given the contract to the Kolkata-based firm Skipper. It is a challenge to erect the pole given the strong winds that blow from the Husainsagar lake, where the park is located. Hence, the concrete pedestal has gone 10 feet into the ground. 

The project will cost ₹1.8 crore rupees and the primary flag, made of polyester, is being brought from Mumbai. Four additional flags have been sourced to take care of damage or replacement.  

The plan on June 2 is grand and lavish. "There will be people atop buildings and homes all around the Husainsagar lake to watch the National flag," said Sunil Sharma, Telangana's Roads & Buildings Secretary. "The idea also is to elevate the status of June 2 as an important date in Telangana's calendar and have celebrations like on Republic Day and Independence Day. Policemen and police bands are preparing for D-day."

Sanjeevaiah Park is one of the few well-maintained parks in the city. City authorities hope keeping the park well-lit, even during the night, for the Indian flag, will transform the park into a major tourist attraction.