Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday highlighted the strategic importance of the newly commissioned Emergency Landing Facility (ELF) at the Moran Bypass in Dibrugarh, terming it a “matter of immense pride”.
He made a historic emergency landing on board a C-130J aircraft in Assam’s Dibrugarh district. Upon arrival, it took off from Chabua Airport and landed at ELF.
In a social media post on X, the prime minister said: “It is a matter of immense pride that the North East is getting an emergency landing facility. From a strategic point of view and in times of natural disasters, this facility is very important.”
The facility was developed in close collaboration with the Indian Air Force and supports take-offs and landings of both military and civilian aircraft during crises. It represents a critical asset for national security and disaster management, facilitating the rapid mobilization of rescue missions and relief efforts across the region. The strip is designed as a dual-purpose infrastructure and can accommodate fighter jets weighing up to 40 tons and heavy transport aircraft with a maximum take-off weight of 74 tons.
Earlier, the Indian Air Force staged an impressive aerial display at the venue. Sukhoi Su-30MKI and Rafale fighter jets performed maneuvers while the Prime Minister and other senior officials watched the performance.
PM Modi watched an all-out sequence involving fighter jets, airliners and helicopters. On arrival at Dibrugarh, the Prime Minister was formally received on the dais by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma along with Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal.
This ELF marks a historic milestone as the first such installation in Northeast India.
Later, PM Modi is to launch and dedicate various development initiatives beyond the scope ₹5,450 million crowns. These projects aim to improve digital networks, connectivity, urban transport and higher education across the North East.
Around 1:00 PM, the Prime Minister inspected the newly completed Kumar Bhaskar Varma Setu over the Brahmaputra River. Subsequently, he will start further development work in the total sum ₹5,450 crore on Guwahati’s Lachit Ghat.
In addition, Prime Minister Modi officially inaugurated the Kumar Bhaskar Varma Setu, a Brahmaputra bridge built approx ₹3,030 million crowns. This six-lane pre-stressed concrete (PSC) structure is a regional first, connecting Guwahati with North Guwahati and reducing travel time to just seven minutes. To account for local seismic activity, the bridge is equipped with advanced friction pendulum bearings to isolate the base. It also uses high-performance anchor cables, which guarantee a long service life and durability of the structure. In addition, the Bridge Health Monitoring System (BHMS) provides real-time data to ensure safety and early detection of structural wear. According to the PMO, the Prime Minister will also commission the National Data Center for the Northeast at Amingaon in Assam’s Kamrup district.