India / Armed forces' helicopters drop flower petals on hospitals treating COVID-19 patients

New Delhi: India’s armed forces on Sunday exhibited their appreciation and gratitude toward thousands of ‘corona warriors’ across the country - doctors, nurses and police personnel - who have been at the forefront of the country’s battle against the coronavirus pandemic.

This is the third massive display of gratitude to Covid-19 warriors after Prime Minister Narendra Modi previously asked people to clap for them from their balconies and light candles in their honour.

The military’s plan to honour front-line workers on Sunday was finalised at a meeting chaired by defence minister Rajnath Singh on Friday. The meeting was attended by the national security adviser, the chief of defence staff and the three service chiefs.

Several activities like fly-pasts, flashing warship lights and other displays by the Indian Army bands have been included in today’s spectacular show.

Here is what is in store:

* Fly-pasts across the length and breadth of the country by the Indian Air Force’s (IAF’s) fighter jets and transport planes —from Srinagar to Thiruvananthapuram and Dibrugarh to Kutch. The IAF’s fighter jets fly-pasts over Mumbai, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Guwahati, Patna and Lucknow, apart from Delhi and the national capital region (NCR).

* Showering of petals over hospitals dedicated to treating coronavirus disease (Covid-19) patients across 23 locations in the country carried out military helicopters . These include Delhi, Leh, Chandigarh, Dehradun, Mumbai, Jaipur, Dispur, Shillong (subject to confirmation by state administration) Itanagar, Trivandrum and Chennai.

* Wreath-laying by armed forces’ personnel at the police memorial on behalf of the three service chiefs to show support for Covid-19 warriors.

* Transport aircraft will also fly in formation over 10 cities including Delhi, Srinagar, Chandigarh, Jaipur, Mumbai and Hyderabad.

* The fighter jets featuring in the fly-past over Delhi-NCR, or IAF’s “aerial salute,” include the Sukhoi-30s, MiG-29s and Jaguars.

* The fly-past will be followed by the C-130J special operations aircraft flying over Delhi-NCR in formation.

* Showering of petals over the National Police Memorial and Delhi hospitals involved in providing relief to Covid-19 patients by IAF helicopters.

* These include Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital, GTB Hospital, Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, Safdarjung Hospital, Sri Ganga Ram Hospital, Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hospital, Apollo Indraprastha Hospital and the Army Hospital (Research and Referral).

* The Indian Navy illuminated its warships at anchorage from 7.30pm to midnight on Friday at Mumbai, Porbandar, Karwar, Vizag, Chennai, Kochi and Port Blair. Naval helicopters will shower petals over Covid-19 hospitals in Mumbai and Goa.

* Forty-six Indian Coast Guard ships will also be lit up at 25 locations along the country’s eastern and western seaboards. Ten coast guard helicopters will shower flower petals over Covid-19 hospitals in Daman, Mumbai, Goa, Chennai and Port Blair.

* The tributes being offered to Covid-19 warriors will also see army bands perform outside several hospitals and locations across the country including the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Sri Ganga Ram Hospital, the Army’s RR Hospital and the Base Hospital in Delhi Cantt.

* Performance by army bands to honour Covid-19 warriors at Srinagar’s Dal Lake, among other locations.