Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Apr 1: The Indian Air Force (IAF) is set to conduct a trial run of the 3.5 km long emergency landing facility on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway (NH-44) at Bijbehara where Sukhoi and Tejas are likely to land and take off.
Authorities today made elaborate arrangements by deploying security forces and setting up radars and other technical equipment including CCTVs to ensure smooth trial run.
A large number of security forces personnel have been deployed near the emergency landing facility and in the adjacent areas. Click here to watch video
The clearance work on the highway (strip) started today and teams from Health and Fire Service and other departments were also deployed near the strip.
“The trail run is scheduled during night hours. The traffic on the National Highway will be diverted at that time,” the officials said.
The officials said the facility would help in case of war, floods, during NDRF’s rescue operations, air dropping of relief material, transportation of the stranded people and for other emergency needs.
It may be recalled that the construction work on the facility was started in 2020 at the cost of Rs 119 crore.
Meanwhile, the traffic police issued an advisory stating that no Heavy Motor Vehicles (HMVs) will be allowed on the highway from 4 am on Monday to 7 am on Tuesday in view of “urgent repairs and upgradation of the airstrip stretch” near Bijbehara in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district.
“Light Motor Vehicles (LMV) shall be diverted to the old national highway alignment between Alistop and Doonipora, including Wanpoh, Khanabal, Batengoo, Padshahi Bagh and Bijbehara. Truck drivers are advised to avoid their journey on the highway from 4 am on April 1 (Monday) to 7 am on April 2 (Tuesday),” the department said in a statement.
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