Assam celebrates Gandhi's birth anniversary with giant Indian Flag

Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal Tuesday hoisted a 319.5 feet tall National Flag, the third tallest in the country on the 149th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

The 319.5 feet flagpole at the Gandhi Mandap in Guwahati is the tallest in the country with respect to average elevation of the city, an official release said. Considering only the height of the flagpole, it is the third tallest in the country after the ones at Attari Border (360 feet) and Pimpri Chinchwad Bhakti Shakti Chawk in Pune (351 feet), it said.

It cost the exchequer Rs 2.92 crore. Sonowal dedicating the flag to the people told the gathering that Gandhiji's philosophy of non-violence, cleanliness, untouchability is still relevant not only in India but outside the country too. 

"Even the greats like Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King followed Gandhiji's philosophy to serve humanity. Gandhiji was a great humanist and nationalist. Installing the tallest National Flag in the state was motivated by Gandhiji's principle of nationalism," he said. 

The National Flag installation project was conceived by Sonowal and he had asked the department of industries and commerce to implement it. 

Guwahati Smart City Ltd was entrusted with the task of preparing the project document and supervising the work, officials said. 

"The total project cost is Rs 2.92 crore, which includes operations and maintenance for a period of one year," the release said.

(With inputs from agencies.)