Shahjahanpur, May 2: The IAF on Friday commenced its much-anticipated “land and go” drill on the 3.5-km stretch of the Ganga Expressway in Uttar Pradesh’s Shahjahanpur district, marking a significant milestone in the country’s defence preparedness.
What sets this expressway stretch apart is its unique capability to facilitate both day and night landings of fighter jets, making it the first such airstrip in the country.
Until now, similar emergency landing drills were carried out on the Lucknow-Agra and Purvanchal expressways, but those were limited to daytime operations.
Locals and students from various schools were among those who flocked to the expressway to watch the awe-inspiring flight demonstrations.
The trial involved a range of IAF aircraft, including Rafale, SU-30 MKI, Mirage-2000, MiG-29, Jaguar, C-130J Super Hercules, AN-32, and the MI-17 V5 helicopter.
The exercises tested low fly-pasts, landings, and take-offs during both daylight and night-time conditions.
Uttar Pradesh government officials believe the success of the drill will also demonstrate the expressway’s potential to act as an alternate runway during emergencies, enhancing the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) operational flexibility.
Top defence and state officials were also present to oversee the proceedings.
Once complete, the Ganga Expressway will become Uttar Pradesh’s fourth expressway to host an emergency airstrip, and the first to allow night landings, paving the way for round-the-clock operational preparedness.
Amid heavy security, over half-a-dozen fighter aircraft conducted flyover and landing simulations during the day.
The fighter aircraft also conducted flyover and landing simulations at night.
Superintendent of Police Rajesh Dwivedi told PTI that the airstrip located near Piru village in the Jalalabad region witnessed trial runs by advanced combat aircraft, including the C-130J Super Hercules, Jaguar, Sukhoi, MiG-29, and Rafale.
The local police remained on alert as the fighter jets performed the simulations at night.
The SP said Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath inspected the airstrip measuring 3.5 km in length last Sunday.
To ensure safety, 250 CCTV cameras have been installed along the stretch, enabling real-time monitoring and quick police response in case of any incident, the officer said.
Dwivedi also said that around 40 km of the surrounding areas were secured with the help of personnel from the panchayati raj and animal husbandry departments, along with local police teams.
They were stationed along the expressway to prevent animals from straying onto the road or the restricted zones.
Night-time drills were scheduled between 7 pm and 10 pm, during which the Bareilly-Etawah route from Jalalabad to Madanpur remained closed. Travellers were advised to use alternative routes.
BJP’s district general secretary Anil Gupta said the new airstrip brings strategic advantage by offering proximity to the Pakistan border.
“In the event of an attack, fighter jets can take off from this expressway. This is a historic milestone for Shahjahanpur district,” he said.
The principal of Gurukul Bird School, Pooja Yadav, told PTI that she brought her students to witness the fighter jets in action.
It was a first-time experience for our students, who were also given information about the aircraft,” she said.
Sharing her excitement, Kritika, a Class-10 student, said, “It was a unique experience. I saw fighter planes like the Jaguar and Rafale for the first time. Watching them fly was thrilling.”
In September 2021, the Uttar Pradesh Cabinet approved the construction of the Ganga Expressway between Meerut and Prayagraj.
The estimated total cost of civil and construction work for the expressway project was Rs 36,230 crore at the time of its approval.
The project under the public-private partnership model is running behind schedule. (PTI)
