Independence Day 2026: Full Dress Rehearsal Held at Red Fort in Delhi Amid Heavy Security (Videos)
A full-dress rehearsal for India's 80th Independence Day celebrations was held at the Red Fort in New Delhi on Thursday, August 13, as the national capital stepped up security and traffic arrangements ahead of the main ceremony on August 15.
New Delhi, August 13: As part of preparations for the 80th Independence Day celebrations, a full dress rehearsal was held at the national Capital's historic Red Fort on Thursday. The rehearsals were conducted amid heightened security deployment in the national Capital as well as tight traffic arrangements. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address from the ramparts of the iconic Red Fort on August 15 is expected to draw large crowds and involve extensive restrictions on movement in the capital city.
Speaking to IANS about the security measures, Shahdara DCP, Rajendra Prasad Meena, said: "Today was the full dress rehearsal. The Shahdara district is a very sensitive area. From a border point of view, we have seven border points adjoining Ghaziabad district in Uttar Pradesh. Traffic at these points was completely shut from 10:00 p.m. last night."Â Independence Day 2026: Why 'Vande Mataram' Will Take Centre Stage at Red Fort on August 15.
Full Dress Rehearsals Being Held at Red Fort
VIDEO | Independence Day 2026: Full dress rehearsals being held at Red Fort, Delhi.#IndependenceDay2026 #RedFort
(Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/n147TvrpG7) pic.twitter.com/Ej5KmdyT4u
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 13, 2026
📸 Full Dress Rehearsal held at Red Fort, #Delhi, ahead of Independence Day on Aug 15. #IndependenceDay2026 pic.twitter.com/y2NimPwnJa
— All India Radio News (@airnewsalerts) August 13, 2026
"Apart from our regular checkpoints and check posts across the district, we have also deployed temporary pickets at several additional points. We have also ensured that all Emergency Response Vehicles, patrol vehicles continue patrolling in their respective areas," he added.
The senior police official said that special security arrangements have been made at the Khadar side area of the Yamuna River, behind the Red Fort complex. Is It India's 79th or 80th Independence Day in 2026? All You Need To Know.
"We have been doing continuous patrolling in that area which will continue till the main event on August 15," he mentioned. Traffic Police Zone-2, Additional Commissioner of Police (CP), Dinesh Kumar Gupta, also mentioned that restrictions on all borders areas of the national Capital were put in place by 10 p.m. yesterday night.
"No commercial vehicles were allowed from there. Only vehicles carrying essential commodities were permitted. We coordinated with the concerned authorities in Uttar Pradesh and Haryana so that vehicles could be stopped from coming towards the borders and diverted earlier, preventing heavy congestion at the borders," he told IANS. He added that apart from this, several diversion points have been created for the traffic.
"Routes such as C-Hexagon, Tilak Marg and routes in the Lutyens' Zone and VIP areas have restrictions due to VIP movement. Our staff have been deployed at all the concerned intersections. "We have issued a public advisory, including through print media, mentioning the affected routes and have suggested alternative routes for the public," Dinesh Kumar Gupta said.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 13, 2026 12:24 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
