Jharkhand will mark the nation's 75th Independence Day on Sunday at Ranchi’s iconic Morabadi ground, hosting a gathering of an estimated 3,000 people, but the celebrations will be sans cultural events for the second consecutive year in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Chief minister Hemant Soren will unfurl the Ttricolor in Ranchi while newly-appointed governor Ramesh Bais will do the honours in Dumka, the state’s second capital, as is custiomary.

On Friday, as many as 11 platoons of various security forces performed a full dress rehearsal at the venue under the supervision of deputy commissioner Chhavi Ranjan and senior SP S. K. Jha.

District administration officials during a briefing at Morabadi ground in Ranchi on Friday. Telegraph picture

Considering the present state of the pandemic, Ranjan asked children (up to 10) and the elderly (above 60) to enjoy the Independence Day programme from home. “The state sponsored I-Day programme will be telecast live on the government’s web television (jhargov.in). The district administration is appealing to children and senior citizens not to come to the venue," he said.

He said adequate arrangements would be made to ensure Covid-appropriate behavior. “The turnout will be a maximum of 3,000 people. All those who attend the programme at Morabadi on I-Day must wear masks, maintain proper social distancing at the venue and follow all prescribed Covid norms," he said.

About half a dozen gates are being set up at the venue to regulate entry. As many as 12 giant LED screens installed at the ground permanently will also relay the live proceedings. As many as 11 platoons of CRPF, CISF, ITBP, JAP-1, JAP-2, Jharkhand Jaguar, JAP-10, Ranchi Police (women), Ranchi Police (men), SSB, and Jharkhand Home Guard (JHG), band parties of JAP-1, JAP-10 and JHG will take part in the I-Day parade.