Flagpole rivalry: At 418 feet, tallest Tricolour unfurled by Gadkari at Attari

The new flag at Attari, flying at 418 feet, will beat Pakistan's national flag which is hoisted at 400 feet on the other side of the Zero Line.

Listen to this article

00:00

1x 1.5x 1.8x

A race to set up the tallest flagpole seems to be the latest rivalry that India and its neighbour Pakistan have indulged into.

On Thursday, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, in the presence of Punjab Chief Minister, Bhagwant Mann, inaugurated the tallest Indian flag —flying at a height of 418 feet — on the Indo-Pak border at Attari, Amritsar. Gadkari was in Amritsar on Thursday to inspect the work of national highways.
The Union Minister said that a surveillance system has been fitted atop the flag which will help BSF troops keep track of the activities near the border.

The new flag at Attari, flying at 418 feet, will beat Pakistan’s national flag which is hoisted at 400 feet on the other side of the Zero Line. The earlier Indian flag at Attari flew at a height of 360 feet. The National Highway Authority of India has installed the country’s new flag at Attari.

Pakistan, meanwhile, has mooted plans to soon hoist its national flag at 500 feet in Lahore, which is around 40 km from the Zero Line.

Both countries have often accused each other for using their flags for espionage through diplomatic channels.
Earlier in the day, Nitin Gadkari inspected the progress of work on the Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Greenfield Expressway and at the Amritsar Bypass during his visit to Punjab.

“Five greenfield and economic corridors are being built in Punjab at a cost of Rs 29,000 crore. This 669 km Greenfield Expressway Delhi-Amritsar-Katra is being built at a cost of Rs 40,000 crore. Once ready, the expressway will help commuters reach Amritsar from Delhi in four hours and Katra in 6 hours. The present distance from Delhi to Katra is 727 km. After the construction of the expressway, the same distance will come down by at least 58 km,” said Gadkari.

“Starting from KMP in Delhi, this expressway is being built for 137 km in Haryana. The length of this expressway in Punjab is 399 km, of which work has started on 296 km. The length of the expressway in Jammu and Kashmir is 135 km, of which work is going on in 120 km. In Punjab, this expressway will pass through industrial areas like Patiala, Sangrur, Malerkotla, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Gurudaspur. A major feature of this corridor includes Asia’s longest 1,300 meter-long cable-stayed bridge over the Beas River. This expressway will connect major religious places of the Sikh community, the Golden Temple, Sultanpur Lodhi Gurdwara in Kapurthala, Goindwal Sahib Gurdwara, Khandur Sahib Gurdwara, Gurdwara Darbar Sahib (Tarn Taran) and Mata Darbar Vaishno Devi in Katra,” he said.

Story continues below this ad

The minister added, “The work on 50 km, 4-lane Amritsar bypass being built at a cost of Rs 1475 crore is also on in full swing. With its construction, there will be better connectivity from Tarn Taran to Amritsar Airport. This bypass will prove effective in solving the traffic problems of Amritsar.”

In the evening, Gadkari watched the retreat ceremony at the Attari-Wagah border along with Mann. He also witnessed the flag-lowering ceremony.

Trade hiatus

India’s ‘flag flexing’ aside, the land trade between the two countries has continued to suffer with the Union government suspending trade with Pakistan in 2019, in response to Islamabad doing the same following abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir. As of now India is only trading with Afghanistan via the Attari-Wagah border.

In 2013-14, the India-Pakistan trade through the Integrated Check Point in Attari stood at Rs 5,443 crore, up from Rs 4,800 crore in 2012-13. In 2014, a government estimate put the trade potential at $10 billion (approximately Rs 6,300 crore). However, these figures started seeing a dip as soon as the BJP government came to power. At present, India and Pakistan trade estimates stand at only Rs 869 crore for the first eight months of the year.

Story continues below this ad

The Attari-Wagah land route was first opened in 2005, and truck movement on this route in 2007. The ICP at Attari was inaugurated on April 13, 2012, under the UPA government, with provisions for facilities for fast and cost-effective land trade.

Kamaldeep Singh Brar

Kamaldeep Singh Brar is a Principal Correspondent at The Indian Express, primarily covering Amritsar and the Majha region of Punjab. He is one of the publication's key reporters for stories involving the Akal Takht, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), and the sensitive socio-political issues of the border districts. Core Beats & Specializations Religious & Panthic Affairs: He has deep expertise in the internal workings of the Akal Takht and SGPC, frequently reporting on religious sentences (Tankhah), Panthic politics, and the influence of Sikh institutions. National Security & Crime: His reporting covers cross-border drug smuggling, drone activities from Pakistan, and the activities of radical groups. Regional Politics: He is the primary correspondent for the Majha belt, covering elections and political shifts in Amritsar, Tarn Taran, and Gurdaspur. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) His work in late 2025 has been centered on judicial developments, local body elections, and religious controversies: 1. Religious Politics & Akal Takht "Akal Takht pronounces religious sentences against former Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh" (Dec 8, 2025): Covering the historic decision to hold the former Jathedar guilty for granting a pardon to Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim in 2015. "YouTube suspends SGPC’s channel for a week over video on 1984 Army action" (Nov 20, 2025): Reporting on the digital friction between global tech platforms and Sikh religious bodies. "As AAP govt grants Amritsar holy tag, a look at its fraught demand" (Nov 28, 2025): An analytical piece on the long-standing demand for declaring Amritsar a "holy city" and its political implications. 2. Crime & National Security "Mostly Khalistanis on Amritpal’s hit list: Punjab govt to High Court" (Dec 16, 2025): Reporting on the state government's claims regarding jailed MP Amritpal Singh orchestrating activity from prison. "Punjab man with links to Pakistan’s ISI handlers killed in encounter" (Nov 20, 2025): Detailing a police operation in Amritsar involving "newly refurbished" firearms likely sent from across the border. "15 schools in Amritsar get bomb threat emails; police launch probe" (Dec 12, 2025): Covering the panic and police response to mass threats against educational institutions. 3. Political Analysis & Elections "AAP wins 12 of 15 zones in SAD stronghold Majitha" (Dec 19, 2025): Highlighting a significant shift in the 2025 rural elections where the Akali Dal lost its grip on a traditional fortress. "Tarn Taran bypoll: woman faces threats after complaining to CM Mann about drug menace" (Nov 9, 2025): A ground report on the personal risks faced by citizens speaking out against the illegal drug trade in border villages. "AAP wins Tarn Taran bypoll, but SAD finds silver lining" (Nov 14, 2025): Analyzing the 2025 assembly by-election results and the surprising performance of Independents backed by radical factions. 4. Human Interest "Two couples and a baby: Punjab drug addiction tragedy has new victims" (Nov 20, 2025): A tragic investigative piece about parents selling an infant to fund their addiction. "Kashmiri women artisans debut at Amritsar’s PITEX" (Dec 8, 2025): A feature on financial independence initiatives for rural women at the Punjab International Trade Expo. Signature Beat Kamaldeep is known for his nuanced understanding of border dynamics. His reporting often highlights the "drug crisis in the underprivileged localities" (like Muradpur in Tarn Taran, Nov 9, 2025), providing a voice to marginalized communities affected by addiction and administrative neglect. X (Twitter): @kamalsbrar ... Read More

Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram

Tags:
Nitin Gadkari