India is celebrating its 75th Republic Day on Friday, January 26, with a mega display of "women empowerment" in the grand parade at Delhi's Kartavya Path set to mark the occasion.

Centre had announced that the 75th Republic Day parade will be women-centric with 'Viksit Bharat' and 'Bharat - Loktantra ki Matruka' to be the main themes and in line with that, 26 tableaux are set to roll down the Kartavya Path highlighting "women empowerment" on January 26.

France President Emmanuel Macron is the chief guest for this year's Republic Day celebrations at Delhi's Kartavya Path and landed in India on Thursday. Macron spent the day in Rajasthan's Jaipur, where he held a roadshow with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and took a fort tour.

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Delhi is placed under a massive security blanket for the Republic Day celebrations, with more than 70,000 personnel being deployed across the city. Out of the 70,000 personnel, 14,000 will be deployed in and around Kartavya Path for the security of the Republic Day parade, officials said.

Republic Day 2024 | All That's Happening

• Republic Day Parade At Delhi's Kartavya Path

Like every year, Delhi's Kartavya Path will see a grand Republic Day parade on January 26, with tableaux from multiple states, ministries, defence and security contingents and cultural performances rolling down from the Rashtrapati Bhavan to India Gate and from there to Red Fort.

Delhi Metro services will start from 4 am on Friday, January 26. Guests and ticket holders can avail metro facility free of cost by displaying their invitation/ticket.

• Republic Day Parade Timing

The Republic Day parade will begin at 10:30 am on January 26, going from Vijay Chowk to Kartavya Path. Special Commissioner of Police (Law and Order, Zone II) Madhup Tiwari said at least 77,000 invitees are expected at the parade.

The ceremony will start with the visit of Prime Shri Narendra Modi to the National War Memorial, where he will lead the nation in paying tributes to the fallen heroes by laying a wreath. Thereafter, the Prime Minister and other dignitaries will head to the saluting dais at Kartavya Path for the parade.

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• Repuplic Day Tableaux

Tableaux of 16 states and Union Territories (UTs) will roll down the Kartavya Path.

The 16 states are: Arunachal Pradesh, Haryana, Manipur, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Ladakh, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Meghalaya, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and Telangana.

Women Power In Focus With Many Firsts This Republic Day

A government press release said that the parade will be heralded by over 100 women artists playing Indian musical instruments for the first time ever. "The parade would commence with the music of Sankh, Naadswaram, Nagada, etc. to be played by these women artists. It will also witness the maiden participation of an all-women Tri-Service contingent marching down the Kartavya Path."

Women pilots will also take part in the fly-past, representing Nari Shakti, the press release said. The contingents of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) will also consist of only women personnel.

Apart from this, 26 tableaux are set to roll down the Kartavya Path highlighting "women empowerment" on Republic Day. These include tableaux of Manipur, Haryana, Ladakh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and many others.

What's Happening for the first time in the Republic Day Parade This Time?

-For the first time ever, the parade will be heralded by over 100 women artists playing Indian musical instruments, a PIB release said.

-Marching down the Kartavya Path for the first time would be an all-women Tri-Service contingent.

-The Delhi Police contingent will be led by women personnel for the first time.

-Various contingents of the NCC will witness female representation, the PIB release said, adding that for the first time, there will be an all-girl Tri-Service marching contingent.

• Fly-past

The Republic Day parade at Kartavya Path concludes with a grand fly-past every year. The PIB press release said 54 aircraft/helicopters will take part in the fly-past this year.

These include three aircraft from the French Air and Space Force, 46 from the Indian Air Force, one from the Indian Navy, and four helicopters from the Indian Army.

Vintage, as well as modern aircraft such as Light Combat Aircraft ‘Tejas’, Rafale, Su-30, MiG-29 Upgrade, P-8I, Jaguar, Dakota, Dornier, C-17, C-130J as well as Light Combat Helicopter ‘Prachand’, Advanced Light Helicopters and Apaches, will display various formations, including Tejas, Netra, Varuna, Vajraang, Trishul, Amrit, Prachand, Arjan and Tangail.

The concluding Vertical Charlie maneuver will be performed by a Rafale fighter aircraft.The ceremony will culminate with the national anthem and the release of Tri-colour balloons.

• Where to Watch Republic Day Parade Live

The Republic Day Parade for 2024 will be shown on Doordarshan TV channel starting at 9:30 am on January 26 and will also be shown across news channels.

Doordarshan's and All India Radio YouTube Channel will also be streaming the Republic Day Parade. Doordarshan, the national broadcaster, streams the Republic Day Parade on its official YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/user/DoordarshanNational) along with All India Radio.

• Delhi Traffic Restrictions

Elaborate traffic arrangements and restrictions are in place in Delhi for the smooth conduct of Republic Day celebrations.

According to the advisory, the Republic Day parade will start at 10.30 am from Vijay Chowk and proceed towards the Red Fort grounds. There will be a related function at the National War Memorial, India Gate, at 9.30 am.

-No traffic movement is being allowed on Kartavya Path from Vijay Chowk to India Gate from 6 pm on Wednesday. The restrictions will continue till the parade is over.

-No cross-traffic will be allowed on Kartavya Path at Rafi Marg, Janpath, Man Singh Road from 10 pm on Wednesday till the end of the parade, the advisory stated.

-C-Hexagon-India Gate will be closed for traffic from 9.15 am on Thursday till the parade crosses Tilak Marg. From 10.30 am on Thursday, traffic on Tilak Marg, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg and Netaji Subhas Marg will not be allowed.

-Cross-traffic will only be allowed depending on the movement of the parade.

• Alternate Routes

-Commuters can take the route from Madarsa, Lodhi Road T-point via Aurobindo Marg, AIIMS Chowk, Ring Road-Dhaula Kuan, Vande Matram Marg and Shankar Road to reach Mandir Marg, the advisory stated.

-Commuters travelling to New Delhi railway station from south Delhi can pass through Dhaula Kuan, Vande Matram Marg, Panchkuian Road, the Connaught Place Outer Circle and Chelmsford Road for the Paharganj side and Minto Road and Bhavbhuti Marg for the Ajmeri Gate side.

-From east Delhi, they can take Boulevard Road via ISBT bridge, the Rani Jhansi flyover, the Jhandewalan roundabout, DB Gupta Road, Sheela Cinema Road and the Paharganj bridge, it said.

-To travel to Old Delhi railway station from south Delhi, the advisory urged people to take the Ring Road, Ashram Chowk, Sarai Kale Khan, Rajghat, Chowk Yamuna Bazar, SP Mukherjee Marg, Chhatta Rail and the Kauria bridge.

-No heavy transport/light goods vehicles are allowed to enter Delhi from other states from 11 pm on Thursday till the parade is over. These vehicles will only be allowed to ply between ISBT-Sarai Kale Khan and ISBT-Kashmere Gate on the Ring Road from 7.30 am to 1.30 pm on Friday, the advisory stated.

Delhi Police requested to make the maximum use of public transport to reach Kartavya Path for the parade.

• Park & Ride and Metro Facility

Free of cost Park & Ride and Metro Facility would be provided to the public for witnessing the Republic Day Parade, the PIB release said.

Metro will be operational on January 26, 2024 beginning 4 am. Guests and ticket holders may avail metro facility free of cost by displaying their invitation/ticket.

Free of cost Park & Ride bus facility may be availed by the guests and ticket holders from JLN Stadium and Palika Bazaar Parking area.