iaf-s-sukhoi-30-and-tejas-to-perform-emergency-landing-and-take-offs-on-srinagar-highway

The Indian Air Force gears up for an emergency landing drill on the vital Srinagar-Jammu national highway, near the scenic backdrop of south Kashmir’s Anantnag district, officials said on Monday.

 

Construction on the 3.5-kilometre emergency landing strip began in 2020 and was finished late last year.

 

Officials said that security has been up at the emergency landing strip, with more officers deployed to ensure that people do not stray too close to the area.

 

"Traffic on the highway has been diverted from various alternative routes to avoid traffic congestion.”

 

Meanwhile, the landing strip is sanitized and fully secured for trial landing and take-off of an aircraft which is scheduled later in the day," an official said.

 

According to officials, a large number of security forces personnel have been posted near the emergency landing site on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway between km 246.200 and 249.700, as the IAF is expected to perform a trial run on the strip.

 

Additionally, "Strong security established has been deployed in the area besides setting up radars and other technical equipment including CCTV's," they said.  Adding, that the clearing work on the roadway (strip) has begun today and Health, emergency personnel are now on the scene.

 

Officials said, "Today's trail run will take place at night. Vehicles travelling on the national highway will be redirected at that time.”

IAF’s main fighters including Sukhoi fighter jets and Tejas light combat jets are expected to take part in the testing.

 

 Official sources said, “The construction of the 3.5 km metre-long strip was created to handle the aircraft landings and take-offs.”

 

Further, the strip is designed in a way that it could be utilised for fighter jets and other aircraft in the event of a war or natural disaster requiring huge resource mobilisation.

 

Meanwhile, in recent times the highways in Kashmir Valley have been designed in a manner that in case of any emergency, they could be quickly transformed into take-off and landing strips.