Amritsar, Oct 19 (IANS): Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on Thursday inaugurated the highest national flag of 418 feet at the Attari-Wagah international border near here in Punjab.

Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann was present at the event.

After inaugurating the flag, Gadkari said, “It is the golden day of my life. I have come to the Attari-Wagah border for the first time. NHAI has installed the tallest national flag here. This is a place that inspires you to be patriotic.”

“I have done a lot of things in life -- tunnels, bridges but this is the most amazing. I am delighted and I thank the jawans who are guarding our borders,” he said.

The Indian flag stands 18 feet higher than Pakistan’s.

Costing around Rs 3.5 crore, this flagpole replaces the 360-foot high one India had installed at the same location in March 2017. In response, Pakistan had erected a 400-feet tall flag.

The Attari-Wagah international border is around 30 km from Amritsar and 22 km from Lahore in Pakistan.

The flag-hoisting, ceremonial drill and Beating Retreat are daily events at the Attari-Wagah joint check post of India and Pakistan. The border guards stomp their feet and raise them high, besides shouting.