For people who are unable to buy a ticket or secure an invitation to the Republic Day parade that goes down Rajpath, the rooftops and bylanes of Daryaganj become a gallery where they come out and bring their children to witness it every year.
But this year, the route of the parade will end at National Stadium, much to the disappointment of many who see the annual parade when it makes its way from India Gate towards Red Fort.
However, with the usual security drill of closing buildings in the area a day before the parade, residents of the area are hopeful that the 32 tableaux — a part of the parade — will pass by the area
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. “Watching the parade on TV is very different from watching it live. We even visit Red Fort to see the tableaux that participated in the parade or try and catch a glimpse of it as it crossed old Dellhi but we have been told it is different this year,” said Rizwan, a resident of Old Delhi.
Siddharth, who owns a helmet shop in Daryaganj, said every year, because of the parade, several maintenance works are carried on the main road in Daryaganj but this year, due to the ongoing strike by the civic bodies, even garbage on the road has not been picked up. “During the dress rehearsal for Republic Day, some people came to pick up the garbage but look, a day before the parade how dirty it is,” he said, pointing to a heap of packing garbage.
While some shop owners complain that the Republic Day exercise hampers their business as they are made to shut shop for several hours the day ahead of the function, others see it as a sense of pride that they are contributing to an event that is the pride of the nation.
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“Although the marching contingents will not pass our shops, we are participating in the operation to secure the route as we have been told that the tableaux will pass this road. I see it as a contribution to the nation that we do not do business for a few days,” said Arun, a book store owner.