Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday made a historic landing on the North-East’s first highway-based emergency airstrip in Assam, marking a major milestone in the region’s strategic and infrastructure development. The Prime Minister touched down at the Emergency Landing Facility (ELF) constructed on a stretch of the national highway at Moran in Dibrugarh district.
The landing, carried out using an aircraft of the Indian Air Force, demonstrated the operational readiness of the newly built highway airstrip, which has been designed to serve as a runway during emergencies. This is the first such facility in the North-Eastern region, capable of handling both defence and civilian aircraft when conventional airfields are unavailable.
Officials said the emergency landing facility will significantly strengthen India’s defence preparedness in the strategically sensitive North-East, while also enhancing the region’s capacity for disaster management, medical evacuations and rapid logistics support. During the event, the Prime Minister witnessed aerial manoeuvres by Air Force aircraft, underlining the strip’s dual-use capability.
Welcoming the Prime Minister, state leaders highlighted that the project reflects the Centre’s emphasis on improving connectivity and security infrastructure in the North-East. The highway airstrip is expected to play a crucial role in times of natural disasters, which frequently affect Assam and neighbouring states, by enabling swift deployment of relief and rescue operations.
The Prime Minister later said that the successful landing symbolised India’s growing infrastructure strength and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to the development and security of the North-Eastern region.
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