Prime Minister Modi Inaugurates Northeasts First Emergency Landing Facility

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Bhupendra Singh Chundawat

Guwahati, February 14: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the first Emergency Landing Facility (ELF) in Northeast India on Saturday in Moran, located in Dibrugarh district of Assam. This facility is the first of its kind in the region.

PM Modi arrived at the event site via an Air Force aircraft, which landed on the newly established ELF. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal welcomed him on stage.

Following the inauguration, PM Modi attended an air show conducted by the Indian Air Force, featuring Rafale, Sukhoi, and MiG fighter jets. These aircraft successfully took off and landed on the highway strip, attracting a crowd of at least 100,000 spectators.

During the event, PM Modi was presented with information about the significance of the Moran Emergency Landing Facility. Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh, the Chief of the Indian Air Force, provided insights into the facility’s capabilities.

According to a government statement, the ELF was developed in collaboration with the Indian Air Force and is designed to accommodate fighter aircraft weighing up to 40 tons, as well as transport aircraft with a maximum take-off weight of 74 tons. The robust 4.2 km concrete strip is capable of handling both military and civilian aircraft as an emergency runway.

A notable feature of the Moran ELF is the absence of a central road divider, allowing aircraft to maneuver easily during landing and take-off operations. Its strategic location near the India-China border enhances its importance.

In Upper Assam, the Moran ELF is viewed as a significant strategic enhancement to India’s military infrastructure in the Northeast. It will provide the Indian Air Force with operational flexibility in an area that has seen rising tensions in recent years.

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