Rajnath, Gadkari inaugurate emergency landing strip close to Indo-Pak border in Rajasthan's Barmer

"The landing strip close to the border sends out a message that India is prepared to safeguard its territory," the Defence Minister said.

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Singh and Gadkari, along with Indian Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria landed on the strip in a C130J aircraft of the Indian Air Force. The strip is on the Satta-Gandhav stretch on NH-925A on the Barmer-Jalore road.

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Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat and Water Resources Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat were also present.

Singh said emergency landing facilities are being made by the The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) at twenty locations, including the one inaugurated on Thursday.

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"We got the opportunity to land on this strip in a C130J. We had a very smooth landing. IAF chief also told us it is a good landing strip. You must have seen cars, carts, scooters on roads, today we are seeing an airplane on the road," the Defence Minister said.

The Defence Minister described the Emergency Landing Facility near the International Border as a shining example of the government’s commitment to protect the unity and sovereignty of the nation.

“This highway and landing field will further cement the basic infrastructure along the western border and strengthen national security. Such emergency fields will provide more edge to the operational and civil assistance of our forces. It will also play a crucial role in facing natural calamities,” he said.

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The Defence Ministry, in a statement, said this project will improve connectivity between villages of Barmer and Jalore districts located on the international border.

The stretch located in the western border area will facilitate the vigilance of the Indian Army and strengthen the basic infrastructure of the country. During normal time, the ELF will be used for smooth flow of road traffic.

Singh added that these landing strips will also be useful during natural calamities.

The Minister said that altogether 20 such landing facilities are being developed by the NHAI.

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Calling development of border areas as one of the top priorities of the government, Rajnath Singh highlighted the crucial role played by the Border Roads Organisation in strengthening border infrastructure.

He also mentioned projects like the Atal Tunnel, Rohtang and construction of the highest motorable road in the world at 19,300 ft at Umlingla Pass in Eastern Ladakh.
Both Singh and Gadkari called it a 'historic day'.

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Speaking after the inauguration, Gadkari said there were several problems encountered pertaining to existing rules and regulations in executing the 'out of the box' project.

The NHAI had developed around three km-long section of Satta-Gandhav stretch of NH-925A as an Emergency Landing Facility (ELF) for the Indian Air Force, which is a part of newly-developed two-lane paved shoulder of Gagariya-Bakhasar and Satta-Gandhav Section under 'Bharatmala Pariyojana'.

Apart from the C130J, Su 30 MKI and Jaguar fighter jets also landed on the airstrip.

Similar emergency landing facilities will be developed along the Phalodi – Jaisalmer road and Barmer – Jaisalmer road in Rajasthan.

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In West Bengal, it will be developed on the Kharagpur – Balasore road, the Kharagpur – Keonjhar road and near Panagarh/KKD.

In Tamil Nadu, it will be developed on the Chennai-Puducherry road; in Andhra Pradesh on Nellore – Ongole road and Ongole – Chilakaluripet road and in Haryana on Mandi Dabwali to Odhan road, and in Punjab near Sangrur.

In Gujarat, a strip will be developed on the Bhuj-Naliya road and Surat-Baroda road.

In Jammu and Kashmir, it will be on the Banihal-Srinagar road, and in the Leh/Nyoma area in Ladakh.

In Assam, it will be on the Jorhat-Baraghat road, near Sivasagar, Bagdogra-Hashimara road, Hashimara-Tezpur road and Hashimara-Guwahati road, the minister said.