In a first of its kind, the Indian Air Force (IAF) conducted overnight trial run on 3.5 km-long emergency landing strip on Srinagar-Jammu highway in Bijbehara area of Islamabad district in occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the IAF conducted at least nine trails on the strip during the night, which started at around 03:45 am and concluded by 04:30 am.
This is the first such drill to be conducted on the Srinagar–Jammu highway in the occupied Kashmir Valley. The IAF is already using Srinagar Airport and Awantipora airbase for its fighter jets
“During the trial, traffic was diverted through alternative route, while areas on both sides of the strip were completely sanitised, and a three-tier security was put in place,” an Indian official said. He said the trials conducted by the IAF were aimed at ascertaining the feasibility of landing for which Chinook helicopter was used.
Reportedly, construction of the airstrip was completed in 2020 at a cost of Rs 119 crore. The IAF will use highways as an alternative runway during emergencies.—KMS
