Republic Day parade this year to be different: What has changed!
New Delhi : Coronavirus has made the world go upside down and its impact in India is no different; according to a latest development, several key changes have been made to the Republic Day parade due to ongoing situation of coronavirus.
This year, the parade will start half an hour later than usual time this year. The parade will start at 10.30 am instead of 10 am for better visibility, the Defence Ministry has decided.
"Since it is being predicted that it will be a foggy morning for a better viewing experience for spectators at the parade, 10 large LED screens - five on each side of Rajpath - will be installed," a senior Defence Ministry official said today.
The guest list and parade has been cut short due to increasing number of coronavirus cases.
"Out of the approximately 24,000 people who will be attending the parade this year, 19,000 are invited and the rest are the general public, who can purchase tickets," sources said.
Last year too, the parade took place amid the Covid pandemic and close to 25,000 people were allowed to attend it.
Before the pandemic erupted, in the 2020 parade, around 1.25 lakh people were permitted.
This will be for the second time when no foreign dignitaries will be attending the R-Day parade.