The IAF fighter jets conducted flypasts over the expressway as part of a broader exercise designed to assess the viability of the facility as an alternative runway in the event of war or national emergencies.Take-off and landing drills were carried out throughout the day and late into the evening to test the airstrip’s full operational spectrum, including its night capabilities, showing the preparedness of IAF’s night campaigns.The airstrip has been developed using specially engineered materials to bear the weight and pressure of heavy-duty military aircraft. It features precision approach lighting, reinforced pavement strength, and CAT II Instrument Landing System (ILS) technology to ensure safe operations in low-visibility or night-time conditions.The Indian Air Force has emphasised that this strip not only enhances the country’s operational readiness but also strengthens its disaster response capacity and rapid deployment capability.However, the IAF exercise came at a time of heightened security concerns, as the country is contemplating a potential action in the wake of the recent Pahalgam terror attack which claimed 26 innocent lives on April 22.To ensure security and crowd management during the high-profile event, 250 CCTV cameras were installed on either side of the airstrip. Public representatives, senior officials, dignitaries, and over 500 schoolchildren witnessed the aerial display.The state government intends to dedicate the Ganga Expressway to the nation by November this year. “This Expressway will go a long way not only in giving impetus to the economic and geographical growth of the state but also it will be established as a historic step towards the national security,” said an official spokesman.
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