PM Modi Unveils Northeast's First Emergency Landing Strip & Key Infrastructure

In a post on X, the Prime Minister said, "It is a matter of immense pride that the Northeast gets an Emergency Landing Facility. From a strategic point of view and during times of natural disasters, this facility is of great importance."

Earlier in the day, the Indian Air Force conducted an air display at the ELF on Moran Bypass in Dibrugarh, with its Sukhoi Su-30MKI and Rafale fighter jets taking off in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other dignitaries watching the air display.

PM Modi witnessed an aerial display of fighters, transport aircraft, and helicopters.

Earlier, PM Modi was welcomed on the stage by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, in Dibrugarh.

The ELF is the first of its kind in Northeast India. It has been designed and constructed in coordination with the Indian Air Force to support the landing and takeoff of military and civilian aircraft during emergencies. It will serve as a critical asset for emergency response, enabling quick deployment of rescue and relief operations during natural disasters or strategic requirements in the Northeast.

Envisioned as dual-use infrastructure, the ELF is capable of handling fighter aircraft up to 40 tonnes and transport aircraft up to 74 tonnes maximum take-off weight.

Later, PM Modi will also inaugurate and flag off development projects worth over Rs 5,450 crore, aimed at strengthening connectivity, digital infrastructure, higher education and urban mobility in the North-Eastern Region.

At around 1 PM, the Prime Minister inspected the newly built Kumar Bhaskar Varma Setu across the River Brahmaputra. Later, he will inaugurate and flag off development projects valued at over Rs 5,450 crore at Lachit Ghat in Guwahati.

Further, PM Modi inaugurated Kumar Bhaskar Varma Setu across the River Brahmaputra, built at a cost of around Rs 3,030 crore. The 6-lane extradosed Prestressed Concrete (PSC) bridge connects Guwahati with North Guwahati and is the first of its kind in Northeast India. It will cut travel time between Guwahati and North Guwahati to seven minutes.

Given the region's high seismicity, the bridge incorporates base isolation using friction pendulum bearings. High-performance stay cables have been used to ensure durability and long-term structural performance.

A Bridge Health Monitoring System (BHMS) has also been incorporated to enable real-time condition monitoring, early damage detection, and improved safety and service life of the extradosed bridge.

According to the PMO, PM Modi will inaugurate the National Data Centre for the Northeastern region at Amingaon in Kamrup district of Assam.

The state-of-the-art Data Centre, with a total sanctioned load of 8.5 MW and an average rack capacity of 10 kW, will host mission-critical applications for various government departments and serve as a Disaster Recovery centre for other National Data Centres.

This will enable governments in the Northeast to digitally deliver essential citizen-centric services. Aligned with the vision of Digital India, the National Data Centre for the northeastern region has been envisioned as a strategic initiative to strengthen the region's ICT backbone and ensure robust, secure, and always-available digital infrastructure, according to the PMO's statement.

The inauguration of the Indian Institute of Management is another highlight for the state, as the IIM Guwahati is set to provide a major boost to higher and management education in the North-Eastern Region.

Over 225 electric buses under the PM-eBus Sewa Scheme in Guwahati (100), Nagpur (50), Bhavnagar (50), and Chandigarh (25) will also be flagged off. With the launch of e-bus operations under the PM-eBus Sewa Scheme in these four cities, more than 50 lakh citizens are expected to benefit from access to clean, affordable, and reliable public transport services, thereby improving urban mobility and enhancing quality of life.

- ANI