In a landmark achievement, an Indian Air Force (IAF) transport aircraft successfully conducted a trial landing on a newly constructed highway-based emergency landing strip (ELF) at Moran in at Moran in Dibrugarh, Assam, marking a major boost to India's emergency preparedness and strategic mobility.
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About Emergency Landing Facility
The Emergency Landing Facility has been developed along a 4.2 km stretch of a four-lane highway in Moran, located in Dibrugarh district. Designed to support emergency landings and operations of IAF aircraft, the facility is expected to enhance aviation infrastructure and improve the armed forces' operational readiness in Upper Assam.
The Moran highway ELF is aimed at strengthening strategic mobility during defence contingencies and improving emergency response capabilities during natural disasters. It also reflects the Centre’s push to integrate civilian infrastructure with national security requirements.
PM Modi to inaugurate Emergency Landing Facility
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to inaugurate the facility on February 14 and is expected to land directly on the highway. "The PM will be flying from New Delhi to Chabua Air Force base on Saturday morning. From there, he will take a flight and land at the Moran ELF in the district," Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.
The Prime Minister will then witness an airshow featuring around 16 IAF aircraft either landing or flying overhead within about 30 minutes. "Rafael, Sukhoi and other IAF aircraft will take part in the airshow, and many of the fighter jets will also land at the strip. This will be the first such elaborate exercise on an ELF," Sarma added.
The Moran ELF, constructed under the Dibrugarh–Moran NH project in coordination with the IAF, has been developed in a strip of 4.2 km of the national highway between Moran and Demow, he had said.
