IAF conducts a successful emergency landing trial run at Bapatla airstrip

Bapatla: The Indian Air Force (IAF) on Thursday successfully conducted an emergency landing trial run at an airstrip in Bapatla district in Andhra Pradesh. An airstrip was set up along NH-16 at Muppavaram, near Addanki, for the trial. The 4.1-km long and 33-metre wide concrete airstrip was constructed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) between Chilakaluripet and Nellore at a cost of Rs. 23.77 crores.

According to NHAI officials, the highway stretches will be blocked in case of an emergency and put to use exclusively for landing of aircraft. The IAF officials said the airstrips can be used during natural calamities for rescue and relief operations and for emergency landings. Soon, the runway will be ready for landing.

In 2018, the Centre decided to develop 11 airstrips on national highways in different states, including AP, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, and Jammu and Kashmir, to operate aircraft when road or rail routes are disrupted. A second airstrip (3.6 km-long) will be set up between Singarayakonda and Kalikivaya in Prakasan district at an estimated cost of Rs. 52 crores.

Speaking about Thursday's trial run, Bapatla SP Vakul Jindal said, "We diverted the traffic route and did not create any inconveniences for regular passengers. About 200 policemen were deployed during the time of trail runs."