PM Modi lands at Assam’s first emergency airstrip in Moran, Assam. Photos: ANI, X.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday made a historic landing aboard a C-130J aircraft at the Northeast’s first Emergency Landing Facility (ELF) in Moran, in Assam. The Prime Minister had earlier arrived at the Chabua Airfield and then took off to land at the ELF built on a stretch of National Highway‑37 near Moran.
In a post on X ahead of the visit, Modi said the facility would be “vital for emergency response, enabling the timely deployment of rescue and relief operations during challenging situations.”
The Rs 100-crore facility is a 4.2-km reinforced stretch on the Moran Bypass designed to function as a strategic, multi-functional runway for fighter jets and transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF), strengthening defence preparedness, logistics capability and disaster response in the region.
Reports quoting officials said the facility is designed for both civil and military operations and can serve as an alternative to the Dibrugarh Airport during emergencies. 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.
India’s first such emergency landing facility was inaugurated in 2021 in Barmer district, in Rajasthan.
Following the landing, the Prime Minister witnessed a 40-minute aerial display that included Tejas, Sukhoi, Rafale and other fighter aircraft, showcasing the operational capabilities of the IAF.
The ELF in Moran is the first of its kind in Northeast India and has been specially designed in coordination with the Indian Air Force to support the landing and take-off of both military and civilian aircraft during emergencies.
The Rs 100-crore infrastructure will function as a strategic runway for fighter jets and transport aircraft, serving as a critical asset for rapid deployment of rescue and relief operations during natural disasters or other strategic requirements in the Northeast.
During the visit, Modi is scheduled to inaugurate and dedicate multiple infrastructure and development projects. Among them is the much-awaited bridge over the Brahmaputra River connecting Guwahati with North Guwahati. The bridge is expected to significantly ease traffic congestion, reduce travel time and improve connectivity between the northern and southern banks of the river.
He will also inaugurate the temporary campus of the Indian Institute of Management Guwahati at Bongora.
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Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
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