Republic Day 2018 Live Updates: Tight Security In Delhi, Preparations For Grand Parade

Republic Day Celebrations: Nearly 60,000 security personnel drawn from the Delhi Police and central security forces have been deployed in Central Delhi. Snipers have been stationed on top of high-rise buildings while scores of CCTV cameras are keeping a tight vigil on people's movements on the parade route.

NEW DELHI:  As India celebrates its 69th Republic Day today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will host 10 leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations or ASEAN as guests of honour at the ceremonial parade to be held at Rajpath. The parade will be presided over by President Ram Nath Kovind. The Republic Day parade begins at the Amar Jawan Jyoti at India Gate where PM Modi will pay homage to the soldiers who died in the line of duty. The National Anthem will be played with a 21 gun salute after the unfurling of the tricolour. India's military might will be on full display during the annual celebrations.

The national capital has been wrapped in a thick security blanket to ensure peaceful celebrations. Special teams, anti-aircraft guns and snipers have been deployed to keep a vigil on the eight-km parade route from Rajpath to Red Fort. Hundreds of CCTV cameras as well as drones will be watching people's movements along the parade route. Nearly 60,000 security personnel from the Delhi Police and central security forces have been deployed in Central Delhi.

Here are the LIVE updates of the 69th Republic Day celebrations:

ASEAN Leaders As Chief Guests, 100-Foot Wide Stage For 69th Republic Day Parade: 10 Points

As India celebrates its 69th Republic Day today, for the first time, 10 leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations or ASEAN will be the chief guests at the ceremonial parade, held at Rajpath, in the heart of national capital Delhi. To accommodate the 10 heads of state, the stage that will be enclosed by bullet-proof glass will be 100 feet wide, three times bigger than what it was last year. There's unprecedented security in Delhi; mobile hit teams, anti-aircraft guns and sharpshooters have been deployed to keep a watch on the eight-km-long parade route from Rajpath to Red Fort.

Mumbai's iconic railway station, Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus building is lit with tricolor on the occasion of India's 69th Republic Day.

As India celebrates it's 69th Republic Day, international sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik celebrates it with sand sculptures.

Greetings to all my countrymen on #Republicday2018. My SandArt at the Khandagiri-Udaygiri festival, Bhubaneswar. pic.twitter.com/FcM3NNciLl

— Sudarsan Pattnaik (@sudarsansand) January 26, 2018

The parade will start at 9:50 am from Vijay Chowk and proceed towards the Red Fort Grounds through the Rajpath, India Gate, Tilak Marg, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg and Netaji Subhash Marg. Delhi Traffic Police issues traffic advisory ahead of the Republic Day parade.

TRAFFIC ADVISORY
Traffic Arrangements – Republic Day Celebrations on 26Th January, 2018 pic.twitter.com/ZAMJNegFWq

— Delhi Traffic Police (@dtptraffic) January 25, 2018

Prime Minister Narendra Modi conveys his Republic Day greetings on twitter.

सभी देशवासियों को गणतंत्र दिवस की बहुत-बहुत शुभकामनाएं। Greetings on #RepublicDay. Jai Hind!

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 26, 2018

India celebrates its 69th Republic Day today. For the first time, 10 leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations or ASEAN will be the chief guests at the ceremonial parade, held at Rajpath, in the heart of national capital Delhi. 

 News Source::This article has been taken from https://www.ndtv.com