Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate a 4.2-kilometre stretch of National Highway on the Moran bypass in Dibrugarh district, Assam, on Saturday, formally commissioning the Northeast’s first Emergency Landing Facility (ELF) — a highway airstrip designed for military and disaster-response use. Officials said the Prime Minister will fly from New Delhi to Chabua Air Force Station on Saturday morning and then board an aircraft to land at the Moran ELF, where he will witness an airshow involving about 16 Indian Air Force aircraft either landing or flying overhead over roughly 30 minutes.
The Moran ELF adds a new operational layer to the region’s defence infrastructure by providing an alternate runway close to India’s eastern front. Chabua Air Force Station, from which the Prime Minister will arrive, is one of the key IAF bases in the Northeast and will work in tandem with the highway strip for increased flexibility during contingencies, defence officials said.
Strategically, the site sits within reach of international frontiers: the China border is roughly 300 kilometres away and the Myanmar border about 200 kilometres from Moran. Defence sources described the ELF as a contingency runway that can be used if conventional air bases are compromised during conflict, enhancing rapid deployment options in the region.
The specially prepared highway stretch is built to accommodate fighter aircraft, transport planes and helicopters, officials added, enabling landing and take-off operations under defence contingencies. “During emergency situations or any war-like scenario, this 4.2-km ELF will play a crucial role. Given its proximity to international borders, it enhances rapid deployment capability in the Northeast,” one official said.
Beyond military utility, the ELF is intended to bolster disaster response in flood-prone Assam. In the event of major floods, earthquakes or infrastructure damage, the highway airstrip can facilitate rapid airlifting of relief materials, enable evacuation operations, serve as an alternate landing site if airports are unusable, and support helicopter-based rescue missions, officials said.
Trial runs for the Moran ELF have been underway since Wednesday and have drawn large crowds eager to see fighter aircraft land on the highway. “All major combat aircraft have successfully landed during trials. Preparations are in full swing, and all arrangements have been made by the district administration,” an official said.
Local residents expressed pride at the development. “It’s a historic moment for us. We never imagined fighter jets would land on our highway. The four-lane development has changed connectivity, and now this makes us proud,” said Ranjan Gogoi, a Moran resident.
With the inauguration, Assam joins a select group of states that have highway airstrips capable of supporting defence operations, a move officials say will strengthen the Northeast’s strategic footing during war, national emergencies and natural disasters.
Original Source: https://www.indiatodayne.in/assam/video/highway-to-airstrip-assams-moran-elf-enhances-war-disaster-response-capability-1345967-2026-02-14?utm_source=rssfeed
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Publish Date: 2026-02-14 10:53:00
