Guwahati, Feb 15: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has written to the Centre requesting additional emergency landing facilities (ELFs) across the state, a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Northeast’s first such airstrip at Moran in Dibrugarh district.
Speaking at a press conference, Sarma described the newly operational Moran ELF as being of “extreme strategic importance for Assam and the Northeast.” He said the Prime Minister’s presence at the inauguration, alongside the Air Chief Marshal, conveyed a strong signal about India’s preparedness. According to him, the development reflects the Centre’s focus on strengthening the region’s strategic capabilities.
The Chief Minister noted that Assam is being positioned as a fallback state amid increasing infrastructure activity in neighbouring Arunachal Pradesh, which shares a border with China. He stated that Assam is being developed as a backup location in the event of a conflict, underscoring the broader strategic thinking behind such projects.
Beyond defence readiness, Sarma said the state requires more ELFs to improve disaster response capacity. He explained that during floods and other emergencies, large transport aircraft such as C-130s could use these facilities to deliver relief materials. The state government has formally sought additional ELFs from the Centre, he said, adding that one more facility has already been opened in Assam and that four to five others may be developed in the future.
On Saturday, the Prime Minister landed at Moran aboard a C-130J aircraft, marking the first operational use of an emergency landing strip in the Northeast and underscoring its functional readiness.
Sarma also highlighted other major infrastructure initiatives cleared by the Centre. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister, has approved the construction of a 34-kilometre twin-tube underwater road-cum-rail tunnel between Gohpur and Numaligarh at a capital cost of ₹18,662 crore. The project is aimed at enhancing connectivity across the Brahmaputra while strengthening strategic mobility in the region.
In addition, he referred to the approval of a two-line rail network beneath the Siliguri Corridor, commonly known as the Chicken’s Neck, a critical stretch linking the Northeast to the rest of India. The Chief Minister said the combination of ELFs, the twin-tube tunnel and the underground rail network would elevate Assam’s strategic position.
Further expanding aviation infrastructure, the state government is set to sign an agreement with the Union Civil Aviation Ministry next month to conduct feasibility studies for four proposed airports at Majuli, Diphu, Umrangso and Manas. The proposed projects are expected to enhance civilian aviation capacity while complementing the state’s growing strategic infrastructure network.
