Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Northeast’s first emergency landing facility (ELF) at Moran in Assam’s Dibrugarh district on Saturday. Officials said the new facility will improve defence preparedness, logistics support and disaster response across the region.

Built at a cost of Rs 100 crore, the landing strip will serve as a strategic and multi-purpose runway for Indian Air Force (IAF) fighter jets and transport aircraft. It has been planned to handle both military and civil aircraft operations when required.

The facility has been designed for dual use, meaning it can be used for both defence and civilian purposes. During emergencies, it can act as an alternative landing option to the airport in Dibrugarh, according to a PTI report.

Specifications and disaster resilience of ELF

The ELF was specially planned and constructed in coordination with the IAF to support the landing and take-off of military as well as civilian aircraft. This coordination ensures that the runway meets defence standards while also serving civil needs. The new strip will play an important role during natural disasters or other emergency situations in the Northeast. It will allow quick movement of rescue teams, relief materials and defence personnel whenever needed, the report mentioned.

As a dual-use infrastructure project, the ELF can handle fighter aircraft weighing up to 40 tonnes and transport aircraft with a maximum take-off weight of up to 74 tonnes.

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India’s first emergency landing facility was opened in 2021 in Rajasthan’s Barmer district, setting the model for such infrastructure in other parts of the country.

On Saturday, the Prime Minister reached Chabua and boarded a C-130J aircraft. He then landed at the new ELF and officially inaugurated the facility. He is also scheduled to watch a 40-minute air show featuring Tejas, Sukhoi, Rafale and other fighter jets.

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Earlier in the week, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma reviewed a stretch of National Highway-37, which forms part of the ELF, and interacted with IAF personnel. He said all preparations had been completed for the historic landing and take-off demonstration. The IAF also carried out a rehearsal for the air show on Thursday.

Connecting Guwahati: The Kumar Bhaskar Varma Setu

The Prime Minister will now travel to Guwahati to open the Rs 3,000-crore Kumar Bhaskar Varma Setu built over the Brahmaputra river.

The 1.24-km-long bridge connects Guwahati with North Guwahati and is expected to improve regional connectivity and ease traffic movement in the city. The project has been completed in one of the country’s most challenging river conditions.

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Ahead of the inauguration, Himanta Biswa Sarma shared pictures of Kumar Bhaskar Varma Setu on social media and wrote, “Infrastructure that goes hard.”

In another post, he welcomed the Prime Minister, writing, “A warm welcome to Adarniya Pradhan Mantri Shri @narendramodi ji to the sacred land of Maa Kamakhya and Mahapurush Srimanta Sankardev. Assam eagerly awaits the inauguration of landmark projects that will power connectivity, technology and growth across our state.”

The bridge is expected to cut travel time, reduce traffic jams and make it easier for daily commuters, goods vehicles and long-distance travellers to move between the two sides of the river.

Engineers chose an extradosed design instead of a traditional suspension structure. This design provides greater strength and durability and also allows faster construction across the wide river stretch.

After completing the inaugurations, the Prime Minister will also address BJP party workers during his visit to the state.