The eternal flame of Amar Jawan Jyoti, lit in 1972, at the India Gate lawns in Delhi has been extinguished after continuously for 50 years.
A part of the torch will now be merged with the National War Memorial’s torch ahead of Republic Day.
The decision to merge the two flames was reportedly taken to reduce maintenance issues at the two adjacent sites.
The Amar Jawan Jyoti was constructed as a memorial for Indian soldiers who were killed in action in the 1971 Indo-Pak war, which India won, leading to the creation of Bangladesh. It was inaugurated by the then prime minister, Indira Gandhi, on January 26, 1972.
Military officials said on Thursday that the flame of the Amar Jawan Jyoti will be extinguished on Friday afternoon and merged with the flame at the National War Memorial, 400 meters away at the India Gate.
The flame will be moved in a torch to National War Memorial along with Guard Contingent and the two flames will be merged.
The National War Memorial, where names of 25,942 soldiers have been inscribed in golden letters on granite tablets, was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi had on February 25, 2019.
The Republic Day celebrations will now begin from January 23 every year instead of January 24 to include Netaji Subash Chandra Bose’s birth anniversary.
A statue of the revered freedom icon will also be installed at India Gate, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced. Until the statue is ready, a hologram will be put up at the spot, PM Modi said, sharing an image.
The statue will be 28 feet by 6 feet and will stand at the spot that once featured a statue of England’s King George V.
‘At a time when the entire nation is marking the 125th birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, I am glad to share that his grand statue, made of granite, will be installed at India Gate. This would be a symbol of India’s indebtedness to him,’ the Prime Minister said in tweets.
‘Till the grand statue of Netaji Bose is completed, a hologram statue of his would be present at the same place. I will unveil the hologram statue on 23rd January, Netaji’s birth anniversary,’ PM Modi added.