National Flags Under Watch as PWD Tightens Maintenance Protocol

New Delhi: A tattered Tricolour or an unlit flagpole at a prominent Delhi intersection often finds its way to social media before the Public Works Department (PWD) gets to it. The department now wants to change that.In a bid to ensure faster upkeep of the national flag across the capital, PWD has directed its field staff to immediately report and resolve complaints related to the Tricolour before they are amplified on social media or escalated to senior govt officials.The move comes as the department, which maintains around 500 Indian national flags installed across Delhi, continues to receive complaints online about damaged flags and poorly maintained installations.Even Wednesday, a user posted on X, “Please look at the condition of the Indian flag. Kindly check and replace it. Location: Janakpuri District Centre, New Delhi.”In another recent post, a user wrote in Hindi, “This flag has been installed at Babarpur Terminal. Please replace it as soon as possible.”In a recent circular, PWD acknowledged that complaints regarding torn or faded flags, faulty lighting, damaged flagpoles and other maintenance issues are frequently shared on platforms such as WhatsApp, Facebook and X, besides being conveyed through SMS and phone calls to senior officers.

Such instances, the department said, create an “avoidable and unpleasant situation” and often delay action as information reaches the field staff only after passing through multiple channels.To streamline the response mechanism, all field officers — from junior engineers (JEs) to superintending engineers (SEs) — have been directed to immediately report complaints relating to the national flag maintenance to the assistant engineer and executive engineer.

They have also been asked to register complaints through the PWD helpline numbers 1908 and 011-23490323 (alternative helpline) so that every complaint is recorded and tracked until it is resolved.The circular directs officials to treat complaints relating to the national flag as a priority and resolve them without delay “so as to uphold the dignity of the national flag at all times.”Officials said the latest directions are aimed at improving accountability and creating a faster reporting mechanism within the department.