Nitin Gadkari Inaugurates India's Tallest National Flag in Amritsar

Nitin Gadkari, the Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, inaugurated the tallest national flag in the country, which stands at 418 feet and is located in Attari, Punjab's Amritsar district. 

Gadkari also announced that a surveillance system had been installed atop the flag to help BSF troops monitor border activities.

Revolving Restaurant over Beas River

• While in Punjab to review the progress of the Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway and the Amritsar bypass, Gadkari announced plans to build a unique bridge over the Beas River, approximately 40 km from Amritsar. 
• The bridge will feature a revolving restaurant with a coffee shop, and a capsule lift will take tourists to a gallery showcasing unique Sikh culture, including the history of the Golden Temple and the life of 10th Sikh Guru Gobind Singh. The bridge is expected to attract around 1.5 lakh tourists daily.

About Attari-Wagah Border

• Before partition, Lahore and Amritsar were prominent cities and trade centres of the then-undivided Punjab. After the partition of India and Pakistan, a joint checkpoint was established near Border Pillar No. 102, located on the historic Sher Shah Suri road, also known as the Grand Trunk Road. 
• This checkpoint marks the starting point of National Highway 01 and is also a part of AH-1, the longest route on the Asian Highway Network.
• Attari village was the birthplace of Sardar Sham Singh Attariwala, a general in Maharaja Ranjit Singh's army. Village Wagah was the jagir of Jagirdar Sham Singh of Attari.
• The Beating the Retreat ceremony was started in 1959 and was agreed upon by both governments. 
• In 1947, the Indian Army was entrusted with ensuring the security of joint checkpoints on NH-1 that joined both countries. Initially, the Kumaon Regiment of the Army provided the first contingent to man the JCP.
• Brigadier Mohinder Singh Chopra witnessed the first flag-hoisting ceremony on October 11 1947. 
• During the mid-1950s, the JCP was taken over by Punjab Police. The first retreat ceremony of its kind was started in 1952.

Belagavi’s Indian flag is 361 Ft tall and is now the second Highest Flag in India.

About Beas River

• Beas River originates from the Beas Kund near the Rohtang Pass in Himachal Pradesh. 
• The river flows through the states of Himachal Pradesh and Punjab before merging with the Sutlej River in Punjab. 
• Amritsar in Punjab is situated on the bank of Beas River.