IAF conducts trial run in south Kashmir airstrip for emergency landing

Srinagar, Apr 2 (UNI) In a first, the Indian Air Force (IAF) conducted an overnight trial run on the 3.5 km-long emergency landing facility, constructed near Bijbehara in Anantnag district on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway, official sources said.

The exercise began around midnight and continued for over three hours on Tuesday, they said.

The authorities had made elaborate security arrangements and installed radars, CCTVs and other technical equipment to ensure a smooth trial.

The facility in south Kashmir would be used by the IAF for multiple scenarios such as war, floods, rescue operations, airdrop of relief materials, transportation of stranded people during disasters and other emergency needs.

Due to the trial run, the traffic department banned movement of heavy motor vehicles on the highway from 4 am on Monday to 7 am on Tuesday. The Light Motor Vehicles (LMVs) were diverted to the old national highway during this period.

The construction of the emergency landing facility along the highway at Bijbehara had started in 2020 at the cost of Rs 119 crore and was completed in 2023.

The stretch was created as part of IAF joint initiative with the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways for the creation of at least 13 emergency landing facilities in different parts of the court which could be used during emergencies. The air strip on the highway in south Kashmir has also parking slots for fighter aircraft and also an air traffic control (ATC) tower.