Srinagar: The Indian Air Force (IAF) on Monday was in a state of readiness to conduct a trial run of the 3.5 km long emergency landing facility on the Jammu-Srinagar Highway at Bijbehara . The Government put in place all arrangements and deployed security forces besides setting up radars and other technical equipment including CCTV’s for smooth experiment, the officials said on Monday.
Officials said that a large number of security forces personnel have been deployed near the emergency landing facility from kilometre 246.200 to kilometre 249.700 on Jammu Srinagar Highway as the IAF is likely to conduct a trial run on the strip.
“Strong security established has been deployed in the area besides setting up radars and other technical equipment including CCTV’s,” they said.
They said the clearance work on the highway (strip) has started. Health, fire service and other departments are presently on the spot.
“The trail run has been scheduled for night intervening Monday and Tuesday. Vehicles coming on Jammu-Srinagar highway will be diverted at that time,” the officials said, adding that Sukhoi fighter aircraft and Tejas light combat fighters are likely to participate in the trial.
The officials said the facility would help in case of war, floods, during NDRF’s rescue operations, air dropping of relief material, transportation of the stranded people and for other emergency needs.
It may be recalled that the construction work on the facility was started in 2020 at the cost of Rs 119 crore. Meanwhile, the traffic department has issued an advisory stating that no heavy motor vehicles (HMVs) was allowed on the highway from 4 am on Monday to 7 am on Tuesday in view of “urgent repairs and upgradation of the airstrip stretch” near Bijbehara in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district.
“Light motor vehicles (LMV) are diverted to the old Jammu-Srinagar highway alignment between Alistop and Doonipora, including Wanpoh, Khanabal, Batengoo, Padshahi Bagh and Bijbihara. Truck drivers have been advised to avoid their journey on the highway from 4 am on April 1 (Monday) to 7 am on April 2 (Tuesday),” the department said in a statement
