Modi-Yogi open 341 km long Purvanchal Expressway

Sultanpur, Nov 16 (UNI) A stretch of the Purvanchal expressway, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday, converted into an airstrip as IAF aircraft landed and took off from the highway, in a display of how particular stretches of roads can be used in situations of national emergency.

In an unusual practice, the inauguration of the expressway was followed by an air show, usually held in a much more controlled environment at a much larger scale at functional airports or air bases.
A temporary air traffic control room was set up by the Indian Air Force (IAF) along the highway to carry out the back to back landings and take offs, in a display of drills that would be used by the IAF in case of emergency.

The first aircraft of the IAF to land on the highway was a C-130J Super Hercules, in which the Prime Minister, Governor Anandiben Patel, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, and others arrived.

The air show, which went on for about an hour, was started with a Mirage 2000 aircraft landing on the airstrip by deploying a parachute. Parachutes are used for landing on smaller runways, which help the aircraft in making faster landings. It is crucial in times of war or other emergencies, reducing the time taken for successive missions.

The servicing and refuelling of the Mirage 2000 aircraft was also displayed, giving a glimpse of the speed at which the aircraft are serviced ahead to flights.
The role played by the Mirage fighter jets in the Kargil war, and the recent Balakot airstrike was also mentioned.

Next to land was an AN-32 transport aircraft, a twin-engined military transport aircraft, which is used for transporting troops and equipment, and use

d for para drops and heavy drops by the IAF.
A team of Garud commandos of the Special Force of the IAF were inducted at the airstrip by the AN-32, and technicians to service the Mirage aircraft were also onboard. This was a display of how IAF fighters can operate from anywhere, even far away from their bases.

It was followed by a formation by one Mirage 2000, and two each of Sukhoi-30 MKI and Jaguar aircraft in an arrowhead formation.

Touch and go landing was done by a Mirage aircraft and two Jaguar aircraft.

Two Sukhoi-30 MKI aircraft followed with a display of their maneuvers, and one of the fighters performed a touch and go landing on the airstrip. The second aircraft came close to the landing strip, and took off without touching the surface.

Mirage and Sukhoi-20 in their performances displayed their capabilities of making a slow speed turn. Sukhoi also performed its signature maneuvers, including barrel rolls and Cobra maneuver, usually witnessed only at airshows.

The strip of the highway used as the landing strip has been specially prepared for landings. The stretch has a thicker layer of tarmac, no dividers and space for taxing and parking aircraft.

Landing strips are being created on a number of highways across the country.
In October 2017, fighter jets and transport planes of the IAF had conducted mock landings on the Lucknow-Agra Expressway, which is a state highway.
A first of its kind Emergency Landing Strip was inaugurated in Rajasthan’s Barmer, close to the India-Pakistan border on September 9 this year.

Road and Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari, along with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari had landed at the newly made Emergency Landing Strip in a C130J of the Indian Air Force.
According to the government, such landing strips are being set-up at at least 20 locations in the country.