Assam builds strategic highway airstrip for IAF and civil flights, completion set for October

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaJune 29, 2025

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday announced that Assam’s first highway-based emergency landing facility (ELF) for Indian Air Force jets and civilian aircraft is under construction near Moran in Dibrugarh district and is expected to be ready by October this year. This will be the first such facility in the entire Northeast.

The ELF is being developed on a 4.2-km stretch of National Highway 2 between Polo Club in Khatkhati and Rassipathar. It forms part of an 11-km four-lane highway segment that will allow aircraft such as Rafale, Sukhoi-30, Tejas, and helicopters to land in case of emergencies or natural disasters.

During a site visit to Jatiyani Village in Moran, the Chief Minister said the project is being executed under the technical guidance of the Indian Air Force and implemented by the National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL). He confirmed that once operational, the facility could also accommodate emergency landings by civilian aircraft if Dibrugarh Airport is inaccessible due to weather or technical issues.

Sarma added that the highway landing strip would also prove useful during floods, allowing helicopters to land and aid in relief and rescue operations. An air show is being planned following the completion of the project to demonstrate its capabilities.

The Chief Minister also disclosed that the central government has sanctioned two additional ELFs in the state—one between Barama and Tihu in Lower Assam and another between Hojai-Lanka and Lumding in Central Assam. Work on these projects is set to begin soon.

Sarma said discussions are underway with the Centre to develop similar ELFs at intervals of 50 to 100 kilometres across key national highway corridors in Assam, describing the initiative as a major step toward improving both national security preparedness and regional disaster response infrastructure.

The inspection was attended by Education Minister Ranoj Pegu, Industries Minister Bimal Bora, MLAs Chakradhar Gogoi, Taranga Gogoi, Susanta Borgohain, ATDC Chairman Rituparna Baruah, Group Captain Ashish Dhankhar of the Indian Air Force, and NHIDCL General Manager Rupesh Kumar, along with other senior officials.