Ex-servicemen to showcase maiden tableau in R-Day parade

French President Francois Hollande is the guest of honor at the parade, which celebrates 66 years since the country adopted its constitution.

A full-dress rehearsal at Rajpath on Saturday offered a glimpse of the attractions in store for guests at the 67th Republic Day Parade.

Another highlight of the French president’s visit was the laying of the foundation stone of the headquarter of the newly-launched International Solar Alliance (ISA) and the inauguration of its interim secretariat at Gurgaon near here.

Moreover, 15,000 CCTV cameras have been installed to assure a safe visit of French President Francois Hollande. Senior officials said snipers have been put on 45 buildings overlooking Rajpath besides providing a similar cover along all the buildings along the parade route.

The city was declared a no-fly zone, covering a radius of almost 300 kilometres, during the duration of the parade. The central, north and New Delhi districts will be manned by 20,000 security officials from 5 am. In the backdrop of Pathankot terror attack, intelligence agencies and security forces are reviewing arrangements for the upcoming Republic Day functions in Jammu and Kashmir on a daily basis. The “Bharat Parv” will be open to public from 5 pm to 9 pm on January 26, and from 12 noon to 9 pm from January 27 to 29. We are taking help of the SHO and DSP and also from the people to make Republic Day peaceful. Tableaux from 17 States and six Central Ministries and Departments presented the varied historical, architectural and cultural heritage of the country. The marching contingents of Army included horse-mounted columns of the 61st Cavalry, the Parachute Regiment, the Corps of Signals, the Rajput Regiment, the Garhwal Rifles, the Assam Regiment, 11 Gorkha Rifles and Remount Veterinary Corps Dog Squad.

The mood on Tuesday was more celebratory, with Modi – sporting a gold turban that rivalled the spectacular military headgear on display – and Hollande chatting as they sat side by side in a bulletproof glass enclosure.

Maj Gen Rajesh Sahai, Chief of Staff Delhi Area of Indian Army, said the parade was evolving, and added that a foreign contingent should be a regular affair.