Centre to Build 11 Landing Airstrips on National Highways For Faster Transport of Releif Material During Emergency
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways is mulling over to set up 11 emergency landing airstrips on National Highways across seven states. The airstrips will be developed to ensure timely relief work in the event of natural disasters and in emergency situations.
Ahmedabad, November 20: The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways is mulling over to set up 11 emergency landing airstrips on National Highways across seven states. The airstrips will be developed to ensure timely relief work in the event of natural disasters and in emergency situations. According to Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways, Mansukh Mandaviya, the first such airstrip will be constructed in Gujarat on National Highway no. 151 near Khambhaliya of Devbhumi Dwarka district. Indian Air Force Jets Land in Akhilesh Yadav's Ancestral Village Saifai during 'Gagan Shakti 2018'
While addressing a press conference, Mandaviya said that during natural calamities such as floods or earthquakes, relief material could be transported to the affected areas through air connectivity in the fastest possible time. The minister also said that the government has identified 13 such roads across states where an emergency landing can take place. Out of the 13 roads, two are under state control, while the rest roads fall under the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), said Mandaviya.
Apart from Gujarat. Rajasthan, Jammu and Kashmir, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu will have two airstrips each, while one airstrip each will be constructed in Odisha and West Bengal. These airstrips will have parking space of four aircraft. In addition to this, an air traffic control tower and two gates will be placed at both the ends of a strip. The length of the strip will be about 5-6 km, and it will be 60-metre-wide. An inter-ministerial coordination group has been formed comprising the Union Road Transport Ministry, the Defence Ministry and the Indian Air Force (IAF) for this project. The IAF and NHAI will conduct a site survey and inspection. Kochi Naval Airstrip to Be Open for Commercial Aircraft; SMS, Data Free in Kerala
Last month, Sixteen planes of the IAF made a landing on a stretch of the Lucknow-Agra Expressway today. A 35,000 kg C-130J Super Hercules aircraft landed first with Garud Special Forces commandos to secure the landing zone as part of the drill. In addition to this, frontline fighter jets Sukhoi-30MKI and Mirages also landed and took off from the highway.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 20, 2018 11:14 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).