Guwahati, Feb 14 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Saturday, inaugurated the Emergency Landing Facility (ELF) on the national highway in Moran in Assam's Dibrugarh district -- a first kind of such facility in the entire northeastern region, government officials said.

Prime Minister Modi also witnessed an air show by the Indian Air Force (IAF) soon after the ELF was inaugurated.

The air show included Rafale, Sukhoi and MIG fighter aircrafts.

The fighter aircrafts successfully took off and landed on the highway strip.

According to an official, at least one lakh people gathered to witness the historic occasion on Saturday.

Located in Upper Assam, the ELF on the Moran Bypass is being viewed as a major strategic addition to India's military infrastructure in the Northeast, offering the IAF enhanced operational flexibility in a region that has witnessed heightened tensions in recent years.

The Moran ELF has been designed to function as an alternative landing option in situations where Dibrugarh Airport or the Chabua Air Force Station becomes unavailable due to operational constraints or emergency scenarios.

For the IAF, this facility significantly strengthens its ability to respond swiftly to contingencies near sensitive border areas.

The 4.2-km-long reinforced concrete stretch has been engineered to serve as an emergency runway capable of handling both military and civilian aircraft.

Unlike conventional fixed airbases that may be vulnerable to targeting or disruption during conflict, highway-based landing facilities provide critical redundancy, mobility and an element of operational surprise.

A notable feature of the Moran ELF is the absence of a central road divider, allowing smooth aircraft movement during landing and take-off operations.

To ensure safety and readiness, fencing has been installed on both sides of the stretch, while temporary roadside structures have been removed as part of the operational clearance process.

Apart from being the first Emergency Landing Facility of its kind in Northeast India, the Moran ELF's proximity to the India-China border adds to its strategic importance.

Until now, such facilities in India have largely been concentrated in the western, northern and central regions of the country.

The Moran installation marks a significant eastward expansion of this critical infrastructure toward the China-facing frontier.

Constructed in close coordination with the IAF, the dual-use facility has been designed to accommodate fighter aircraft weighing up to 40 tonnes, as well as transport aircraft with a maximum take-off weight of up to 74 tonnes, according to a government statement.

--IANS