Republic Day 2022: Construction workers, sanitation staff and auto drivers are ‘special invites’ for R-Day parade

Each year, the Republic Day parade attracts lakhs of people to witness India’s military might and cultural heritage.

Keeping the rising COVID-19 cases in mind, the Centre has restricted the number of people who will be able to attend the event in person to around 24,000 people.

An NDTV report had stated that of the approximately 24,000 people who will be attending the parade this year, 19,000 are invited and the rest are the general public, who can purchase tickets.

While some of these invited people will be dignitaries, ministers and other eminent personalities, the Centre has also decided to honour everyday heroes by extending an invitation to them for the spectacle at Rajpath.

Here’s a look at these special invitees.

Special invites

According to Indian Express, 565 ‘special invitees’ will witness the Republic Day parade of which 250 are construction workers, 115 are safai karamcharis, 100 are autorickshaw drivers and another 100 are healthcare workers.
The construction workers who have been invited are those engaged in the revamp of Rajpath.

Please see: Republic Day 2022: Largest flypast ever, 16 marching contingents and more expected at parade

An official, according to Times of India report, said, “It’s a great gesture from the government to recognise their work. It was a tough task to complete everything between two Republic Day parades and that too amid the pandemic and despite the unusually long spell of rain. We were on our toes till the last day.

This invite comes on the heels of Prime Minister Narendra Modi sharing a meal with construction workers after inaugurating the Kashi Viswanath Corridor in Varansi. Officials have been quoted as saying that according ‘respect’ to builders of major projects is a USP of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s style of working.