Umaisar Gull Ganie
Anantnag, Apr 2: The Indian Air Force (IAF) conducted overnight trial run on 3.5 km-long emergency landing strip on Jammu-Srinagar national highway in Bijbehara area of south Kashmir’s Anantnag district, officials said on Tuesday.
An official said that the IAF conducted at least nine trails on the strip during the night, which started at around 03:45 am and concluded by 04:30 am.
“During the trial, traffic was diverted through alternative route, while areas on both sides of the strip were completely sanitised, and a three-tier security was put in place,” he added.
He said the trials conducted by the IAF were aimed at ascertaining the feasibility of landing for which Chinook helicopter was used. Chinook helicopter, operated by the Indian Air Force, is a versatile heavy lift aircraft that plays a crucial role in various military operations, including troop transport, disaster relief, and logistics support. Construction of the airstrip began in 2020 at a cost of Rs 119 crore.
The strip can be used for strategic purposes as well as during natural calamities for rescue and relief operations.
