New Delhi, Jul 18 (PTI) With less than a month left for the Independence Day, the Public Works Department plans to hire a private agency to maintain the 500 national flags installed across Delhi, officials said on Friday.

The department has floated a tender in this regard and aims to wrap up the hiring process by July end, so that the maintenance work can begin promptly.

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These flags, hoisted on 115-foot-high poles, were installed at key locations across the city in 2022 under the Aam Aadmi Party's Deshbhakti budget, which aimed to foster patriotism.

Made of durable polyester to reduce damage, the flags often require periodic replacement, especially during the monsoon when the winds are strong.

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To ensure that the flags remain in a pristine condition on the Independence Day, the Public Works Department (PWD) has floated a tender for a two-year contract to maintain the flags, flagpoles, motors and lighting fixtures with an outlay of Rs 26.5 crore.

According to PWD officials, while undertaking the maintenance work the selected bidder would be expected to adhere strictly to the 2002 Flag Code of India, which governs the proper display of the national flag.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)