Tricolour on illuminated 100-foot flagpole at Surat airport

SURAT: Surat airport has now joined other airports in the country where Airports Authority of India (AAI) raised the tricolour on a 100-foot-tall illuminated flagpole on the occasion of the 69th Republic Day celebration on Friday.
The round-the-clock flares will offer a wonderful sight. The ministry of home affairs (MHA) had given approval for the erection of 100-foot-tall national flag mast at Surat airport along with other airports across the country last year. The national flag is being hoisted in all the airports to instill patriotism in people. The flag will not affect the movement of aircraft as it does not come in the line of runway.

The flag was unfurled on the 100-foot-tall illuminated flagpole by Navsari MP C R Paatil in the presence of Surat MP Darshana Jardosh, general manager of AAI's operations (western region) S S Balan and airport director Dilip Sajnani on Friday. Sajnani told TOI, "The flag will remain illuminated 24 hours. It is a matter of pride that Surat airport has such a monumental structure to boost the patriotic spirits of the citizens."

He said they have spare flags for replacement if any problem occurs to the existing one. The flag is 30-feet-long and 20-feet-wide. As per the norms of no objection certificate application system, the permissible height of structures in the location of the flag is about 43 metres. The flag is installed in front of the terminal which is at a distance of at least half-a-kilometre from the nearest point of runway.