Skilled fliers roped in to keep skies clear for PM Modi’s I-Day address

New Delhi: India will celebrate its 75th Independence Day on August 15 but this year we will enjoy the free breeze with a clear sky. This means the sky will be cleared of kites. According to Indian Express, Delhi police is trying to ensure a free-kite zone around the Red fort this Independence Day. If implemented this would be the first of its kind security arrangement on the occasion.

This security plan aims to prevent stray kites from falling inside Red Fort during the Prime Minister’s address to the nation and the flag-hoisting ceremony.

As per the Indian Express report, the police have sought the cooperation of 231 regular kite-flyers from the walled city area to ensure a clear sky for about three hours on the morning of Independence Day.

How will the Delhi police deal with stray kite fliers?

As per media reports, The police have identified at least 350 rooftop locations and their personnel will carry a long bamboo stick to catch and snag the stray kites if found flying during the Independence Day event.

Indian Express report suggests that the police were also planning to rope in skilled kite-flyers to snap the strings of others’ kites but that move was later shelved.

Over 1000 CCTV cameras to be installed around Red Fort

Amid threats of various terrorist attacks and warnings of disrupting the Independence Day celebrations, the Delhi Police have decided to install more than 1,000 Internet Protocol (IP) based CCTV cameras in and around the Red Fort, India TV reported.

This comes as the Intelligence Bureau (IB) on Thursday issued an alert for possible attacks by Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) ahead of the 75th Independence Day celebration on August 15.