Will pay for flag at Central Park, FFI tells NDMC

The Flag Foundation of India (FFI) has written to NDMC saying they will bear the expenses for the maintenance of the flagpole at Central Park here in a departure from its earlier stand that the civic agency should take care of the said cost.
In the letter yesterday, FFI said, "As the displaying of the Tricolour is the pride of the nation, we will bear all the expenses for the upkeep and maintenance of the flagpole and ensure that the dignity of the national flag is maintained."
A disagreement had earlier emerged between New Delhi Municipal Council and Naveen Jindal's FFI over who was to bear the maintenance cost, running into lakhs of rupees, for the flagpole.

A Tricolour measuring 90ft by 60ft flies atop the 207ft high flagpole at Connaught Place which was put up jointly by Jindal's FFI and NDMC in March.
Although FFI initially bore the maintenance cost, it asked NDMC to take care of the same after taking the stand that the organisation on whose land the flagpole stands, in this case NDMC, should take care of the expenses for it.
It had also accused NDMC of being "non-committal" on the question of expenditures.

The expenses include Rs 52,000 per month for three guards who man the structure round-the-clock, Rs 8,000-10,000 for one-time repair of the flag as and when required, Rs 64,000 for a new flag, the cost of CCTV cameras installed around it, and other miscellaneous expenses.

However, FFI has now told the civic body that it will bear the full maintenance cost.
NDMC would only have to pay for the halogen lights installed at the site to illuminate the flag at night.