Team News Riveting
Barmer (Rajasthan), September 9
The Indian Air Force (IAF) Thursday conducted aircraft operations on the Emergency Landing Facility (ELF) developed for it at Satta-Gandhav stretch on NH-925A near Barmer in Rajasthan.
The National Highway has been used for emergency landing of IAF aircraft for the first time. Earlier in October 2017, fighter jets and transport planes of the IAF had conducted mock landings on the Lucknow-Agra Expressway, which is a state highway and comes under the Uttar Pradesh government.
The project has a strategic importance as it is located on the Pakistan border and will strengthen India’s air defence in emergency. The landing strip will be able to facilitate landing of all types of IAF aircraft.
The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has developed the three-kilometre section as an ELF for the Indian Air Force. It is part of the newly-developed two-lane paved shoulder of Gagariya-Bakhasar and Satta-Gandhav Section having total length of 196.97 kilometres and costing Rs 765.52 crore under Bharatmala Pariyojana. The work commenced in July 2019 and was completed in January 2021 by M/S GHV India Pvt. Ltd. under the supervision of IAF and NHAI.
The project will improve connectivity between villages of Barmer and Jalore districts located on the international border. The stretch in the western border area will facilitate the vigilance of the Indian Army and strengthen the basic infrastructure of the country. During normal time, the ELF will be used for smooth flow of road traffic.
Apart from the Emergency Landing Strip, three helipads have been constructed in Kundanpura, Singhania and Bakhasar villages under this project as per the requirements of the Armed Forces.
Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh and Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari jointly inaugurated the facility. Minister of Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria, Secretary, Department of Defence R&D & Chairman, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) Dr G Satheesh Reddy and other senior central & state government officials were present during the inauguration of the Emergency Landing Facility.
Singh lauded the IAF, NHAI and the private sector for joining hands and completing the construction of Emergency Landing Field in 19 months despite COVID-19 restrictions. The Raksha Mantri defined the landing of IAF aircraft on the 3 km stretch as a historic new strength of New India, as it coincides with the 75th year of Independence and 50th year of India’s victory in the 1971 war.
