IAF conducts trial run on AP highway

Vijayawada: An airstrip for emergency landing of aircraft has come up on National Highway No 16 near Addanki in Bapatla district.

The 4.1 km long and 33 mtr wide concrete airstrip is constructed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and is nearing completion. Two such airstrips are already operational in UP and Rajasthan.

This ELF in Andhra Pradesh would be the first one to be operational in peninsular India. To check out the feasibility of operations from the ELF, IAF fighter and transport aircraft from Southern Air Command successfully carried out overshoots on the strip on Thursday as part of trials.

Presently the ELF is not fully ready for facilitating landing. The trials by IAF were towards ascertaining the feasibility of landing. It would be inaugurated once it is fully ready. The Highway stretches will be blocked in case of an emergency and put to use exclusively for landing of aircraft.