Delhi To Deploy More Than 1000Kg Boneless Chicken to Guard Republic Day Skies

Forget missiles, Delhi is deploying drumsticks. Ahead of the Republic Day air show, the capital’s skies are being defended not just by fighter jets but by a staggering one thousand two hundred seventy five kilograms of boneless chicken. This unusual plan is the city’s most creative air defense system yet. The idea is simple. Feed the black kites so generously that they stay busy at lower altitudes and do not wander into the flight paths of Sukhois and Rafales slicing through the skies. 

The Delhi Forest Department, in coordination with the Indian Air Force, has turned this feeding ritual into an annual tradition. Bird strikes are a serious risk during low flying manoeuvres, and kites are notorious for hovering near open areas in search of food. By offering them a steady supply of meat at designated spots, officials hope to lure them away from the air show corridor and keep the skies safe for pilots. 

A senior official explained the logic behind the exercise, saying, “This is an annual preventive exercise undertaken before the Republic Day air show. Birds such as black kites are naturally drawn to open areas and food sources, and if they enter the flying corridor, they can pose a serious hazard to aircraft performing low-level manoeuvres.” 

Between January 15 and January 25, chicken will be scattered at twenty locations across the city. Sensitive areas such as Red Fort and Jama Masjid, where kite populations are dense, will receive special attention. Other sites include Mandi House, Delhi Gate and the Maulana Azad Institute of Dental Sciences. Each day, between two hundred and four hundred kilograms of meat will be distributed, with a peak of two hundred fifty five kilograms on January twenty two. 

Explaining the process further, another officer noted, “These locations are identified every year based on bird movement patterns. Areas such as the Red Fort and Jama Masjid see a higher influx of kites, increasing the risk of birds straying into the flight path. By feeding them at designated points, we ensure they remain away from the air show route and also remain adequately fed.”

The method itself is almost theatrical. Small pieces of chicken are tossed into the air so that the birds swoop down and remain engaged at lower levels. Officials say this keeps them satisfied and far from the aircraft routes.  It may sound like a feast fit for a royal banquet, but for Delhi it is a safety measure. The jets will slice through the skies in perfect formation while the kites enjoy their own Republic Day buffet. 

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