E-Paper
Emergency drills: IAF jets touch down on Purvanchal Expressway airstrip
Various types of aircraft took part in the exercise, including fighter jets, transport aircraft and helicopters. Civil and military functionaries were working in close coordination towards achieving greater synergy for this training exercise. They performed familiarisation drills, go-arounds and landings, said Prayagraj defence PRO, Sameer Gangakhedkar
LUCKNOW: Fighter jets of the Indian Air Force once again touched the airstrip at Purvanchal Expressway after 19 months, to perform emergency drills on Saturday morning. The expressway had been undergoing repair since June 11 this year and IAF officials thoroughly checked the work and arrangements prior to the jets touching base there for safety purposes.
“Notifications regarding diversion of traffic had been issued by state government officials in advance. Various types of aircraft took part in the exercise, including fighter jets, transport aircraft and helicopters. Civil and military functionaries were working in close coordination towards achieving greater synergy for this training exercise. They performed familiarisation drills, go-arounds and landings,” said Prayagraj defence PRO, Sameer Gangakhedkar. According to reports, Jasjeet Kaur, district magistrate of Sultanpur had informed that nearly 10 aircraft performed touch and go exercises on the airstrip with one transport aircraft testing for landing on the airstrip as well.
“This is an emergency exercise performed by the IAF to check the quality and strength of the airstrip so that emergency jets may easily land and go on the airstrip,” the defence PRO said. Sukhoi fighter jets were also supposed to be a part of the exercise, but could not fly to the airstrip due to bad weather as the aircraft would be coming in from Bareilly. Senior IAF officials and ground staff were present at the programme.
The event was handled by the Airforce Gorakhpur team on behalf of Central Air Command of the Indian Air Force and the UPEIDA (Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority).
The Prime Minister had inaugurated the 34-km- long expressway and the 5-km- long airstrip at Akhalkiri Karwat in Sultanpur in November of 2021, when it had been constructed.
Traffic was diverted, movement stopped and all dividers removed from this area ever since the repair began earlier this month. They will be back in place from midnight on Sunday, now that the drills are over.
