DOMBIVLI: Dombivli is set to witness a massive Independence Day celebration on August 15, with thousands of citizens expected to participate in a Tricolour rally featuring a 35,000 sq ft national flag, as organisers aim to create a world record.The rally is being organised by the Dr Shrikant Shinde Foundation along with more than 100 social organisations under the theme, “Tiranga haati gheuya, vishwawikram ghadavuya” (Let’s hold the Tricolour and create a world record).The event will begin at 7 am, with the rally scheduled to start at 7.30 am from the Captain Vinaykumar Sachan Memorial premises near Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Chowk (Gharada Circle) in Dombivli East. Participants will proceed via the Lokmanya Tilak statue, Char Rasta and Nerurkar Path towards Dattanagar Chowk.The rally will conclude near the 150-ft national flagpole at Swatantryaveer Vinayak Damodar Savarkar Udyan in Dattanagar, where the national flag will be hoisted.Organisers said around 50-55 schools and nearly 15,000 students are expected to participate. More than 100 social organisations, ex-servicemen, NCC and NSS cadets, Scouts and Guides, and personalities from the literary, social, cultural and artistic fields are also expected to join the event. Around 25,000 citizens are likely to attend the programme.Patriotic songs and cultural performances will be organised along the route, creating a festive atmosphere across the city. Representatives from various political parties, including MLAs, corporators and office-bearers, have also been invited.According to the organisers, the initiative aims to break an existing record for carrying a large national flag over a distance. The process of officially recording the proposed record will be undertaken.The organisers said the event was aimed not only at creating a record but also at bringing people from different sections of society together under the Tricolour and promoting patriotism among the younger generation.
