Guwahati, Feb 14: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 14 made a historic landing at the Northeast’s first Emergency Landing Facility (ELF) aboard a C-130J aircraft in Assam’s Dibrugarh district, formally operationalising the strategic infrastructure.
After arriving at the Chabua Air Force Station, the Prime Minister took off again and touched down at the newly developed ELF at Moran on a reinforced stretch of National Highway-37. The landing marked the commissioning of the facility, which has been constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 100 crore.
The project includes a 4.2-kilometre reinforced stretch along the Moran Bypass and has been developed as a multi-functional runway capable of accommodating Indian Air Force fighter jets and transport aircraft. Officials stated that the facility will significantly strengthen defence preparedness, improve logistical efficiency and enhance disaster response capabilities in the region.
Designed for dual military and civilian use, the Emergency Landing Facility will also function as an alternative landing strip to Dibrugarh Airport during emergencies, bolstering critical infrastructure in Upper Assam and across the Northeast.
The Prime Minister inaugurated the facility in the presence of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Indian Air Force Chief A. P. Singh. The development is widely regarded as a major advancement in strategic and connectivity infrastructure in a region of increasing importance within India’s defence framework.
