Indian Army's Emergency Runway on UP Highway to Activate Tomorrow; Sukhoi-30, Jaguar, Mirage to Fly

The Emergency Landing Field (ELF) on the Purvanchal Highway in Sultanpur, Uttar Pradesh, is set to be activated on Wednesday, April 22. The special airstrip was designed in coordination with the Indian Air Force (IAF) to support air operations in scenarios where conventional airbases may be compromised due to conflict or natural disasters. The runway has been through multiple high-profile tests. On November 16, 2021, during the inauguration of the Purvanchal Highway, Prime Minister Narendra Modi landed on the strip aboard a C-130J Hercules military transport aircraft. The activation event will see a range of IAF aircraft in action — fighter jets including the Sukhoi-30, Jaguar, and Mirage, along with Mi-17 helicopters conducting slithering operations,

and transport aircraft including the C-295 and AN-32.What is an Emergency Landing Field?An Emergency Landing Field (ELF) is a specially engineered stretch of a national highway or expressway, typically 3–4 km long, designed to handle take-offs and landings by fighter jets, transport aircraft, and helicopters. Under normal conditions, it functions as a regular road. In times of conflict or disaster, it activates as a fully operational airstrip.India has identified around 28 such sites across 11 states, with nearly 15 already functional. Of these, 11 spots are on national highways.Also Read: Fast Road, Slow City: Dehradun Scrambles to Handle Delhi Expressway Overflow How are ELFs Built?ELFs are developed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) in coordination with the Indian Air Force. They are engineered as straight highway stretches with reinforced pavement capable of handling the weight and stress of fighter jets and transport aircraft. The Karwal Kheri strip on the Purvanchal Expressway, for instance, is 3.2 km long and purpose-built for IAF operations.A Timeline of Key MilestonesIndia tested its first road runway on the Yamuna Expressway in Uttar Pradesh in 2015. In 2016, an inter-ministerial committee identified 29 strategic locations across the country for ELF development.India's first National Highway ELF was inaugurated in September 2021 on NH-925A in Barmer, Rajasthan, setting the template for similar infrastructure nationwide. Two months later, in November 2021, Prime Minister Narendra Modi landed at Karwal Kheri on the Purvanchal Expressway in a C-130J Hercules during the expressway's inauguration. Mirage 2000 jets and a SEPECAT Jaguar also operated from the strip that day.In June 2023, operational drills at the Purvanchal ELF saw around 10 aircraft — including fighter jets and an Antonov An-32 — validate the runway's structural strength and operational capability. In March 2024, an ELF was activated on NH-16 in Bapatla, Andhra Pradesh, with Sukhoi Su-30MKI, Hawk, An-32, and Dornier 228 aircraft conducting landing trials.In May 2025, the Ganga Expressway ELF near Shahjahanpur became India's first with night landing capability. Most recently, in February 2026, Northeast India's first ELF was inaugurated at Moran in Assam's Dibrugarh district — 4.6 km long and built at a cost of Rs 100 crore.Where are the ELFs Located?ELFs are being strategically developed near border and remote areas, particularly along the western and eastern frontiers. Assam leads with five identified sites, followed by West Bengal with four, while Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, and Rajasthan have three each. Other states with designated locations include Jammu and Kashmir, Bihar, Haryana, Tamil Nadu, and Punjab.Why Do ELFs Matter?In modern warfare, airbases are primary targets. ELFs distribute air power across hundreds of kilometres of highway, making it far harder for an adversary to neutralise India's aviation capability in a single strike. They also serve a civilian purpose — enabling rapid deployment of relief aircraft during floods, earthquakes, or disasters in areas without airports.