Delhi recorded its second coldest day of the season on January 22, as the mercury dropped to 13.2°C. The diurnal variation between the maximum and minimum temperature have also been the minimal so far.
The coldest day of the season was also recorded in the same month on January 7 at 13.1°C. Western Disturbance, which is prevailing over Jammu and Kashmir, has given rainfall over plains of Northwest India including Delhi. This has resulted in the cold day conditions, exposing Delhites to freezing cold.
However, harsh weather conditions have not taken toll on the 66th Republic Day rehearsals, which are underway in full swing.
Despite the chilly winter air and showers of rain, over 6,000 marchers, 5,000 artists, and 1,200 students underwent six months of training and rehearsals in order to seal a spectacular show for January 26. The recent snowfall in the hills combined with rain showers in the plains has further intensified the chill in Delhi .
The downpour in the capital, along with dense fog over the last few weeks, has surely hampered the preparations causing delay in rehearsals. But even then, 42 contingents of 144 soldiers, camel brigades, regional ‘Jhaankis’, and several other participants are gearing up to march down Rajpath on the auspicious occasion of Republic Day.
This year’s Republic Day will be extra special in many ways. Firstly, this will be Narendra Modi’s first Republic Day parade as Prime Minister of India. Secondly, US President Barack Obama is set to be the chief guest at the parade. This will be the first instance of a US President gracing the occasion with his presence. Thirdly, this will be the first time that an all-women contingent from the defence forces will be a part of the parade. These women officers will be marching for country, pride, and recognition. And lastly, for the first time ever, weather may spell trouble on Republic Day as a completely clear weather is not on the forecast menu, as of now.
Meanwhile, young NCC cadets have been battling dense fog and biting cold weather to rehearse for the parade. These cadets have poured in from different parts of the country and have been undergoing rigorous training every morning for January 26. Along with these cadets, a total of 1,200 school children from six different organizations, four schools, and two cultural centres, will also be participating in the parade. All the participants currently report at the Rajpath early morning when most of us are struggling with the snooze button on our alarm clock.
As for the seating and light and sound arrangements on the venue, the numbers are mind-boggling to say the least. Some 35 enclosures will seat 1, 11,240 people with 19,000 open to the general public. Additionally, two separate enclosures will be booked for children. Moreover, Army’s Signal Regiment is put in charge of the sound system at the venue. Cables travel as much as 38 kilometres to ensure flawless sound quality. The CPWD is in charge of lighting and has installed some 1.40 lakh bulbs with several technicians constantly performing quality checks.
The full dress rehearsal has been scheduled for January 23 instead of January 24 this year. However, if weather intervenes, the full dress rehearsal date may be shifted to 24 or 25 January. The presence of Barack Obama has led to a significant increase in safety and security measures. From scanning US satellites to vigilant sniffer dogs; from sharp-sighted snipers to 50,000 security personnel; and from a 3-day traffic lock-down to 15,000 CCTV cameras, Indian and US intelligence agencies have left no stone unturned. The Obama visit, growing security concerns, an unpredictable weather, and bubbling nationalism, the 66th Republic Day packs it all!
