The Indian Air Force (IAF) successfully conducted night-time combat drills on Friday between 7 pm and 10 pm, utilizing the country’s first expressway airstrip located on the Ganga Expressway in the Shahjahanpur district.
According to officials, the 3.5-kilometer airstrip near Piru village, under the Jalalabad Police Station limits, witnessed simulated touch-and-go landings and combat operations involving several fighter jets, including the Rafale, Sukhoi, Jaguar, and Mirage-2000.
Superintendent of Police Rajesh Dwivedi informed PTI that the night operational exercise involved successful sorties by multiple fighter jets. He detailed the drill as encompassing precision landings, coordinated take-offs, and tactical operations involving aircraft such as the Rafale, Sukhoi, Jaguar, Mirage-2000, and M-32.
For security and surveillance during the exercise, over 250 CCTV cameras were installed on and around the airstrip. Dwivedi emphasized that this measure ensures safe operations and facilitates a swift response to any unforeseen incidents.
Traffic on the Bareilly-Etawah route, which intersects the expressway, was halted for approximately three hours to facilitate the sorties.
Dwivedi further noted that some fighter jets were observed landing with the aid of ropes deployed from helicopters, followed by ground tactical deployment. He added that despite strong winds and unfavorable weather conditions earlier in the day, the drill was successfully completed, with the night operations proving to be smoother and more efficient.
The exercise, initially planned for two days, was concluded in a single night by IAF officials. The SP stated that the program scheduled for the following day was cancelled as the intended objectives had already been achieved.
Additional District Magistrate (Finance and Revenue) Arvind Kumar reported that fighter jets made contact with the airstrip near the VIP camp before taking off again. He also mentioned the deployment of over 1,000 sanitation workers and other personnel from the Panchayati Raj Department along a 40-kilometer stretch to prevent the entry of animals or any other obstructions onto the airstrip.
Locals reportedly watched the exercises with enthusiasm from nearby fields, with Kumar describing it as a “historic moment for the district.” Officials confirmed that the airstrip on the Ganga Expressway, which was recently inspected by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, now possesses the capability to support fighter jet landings and operations during both day and night.
The construction of the 594-km Ganga Expressway, connecting Meerut and Prayagraj, was approved by the state cabinet in September 2021. At the time of approval, the estimated cost for civil and construction work on the expressway was Rs 36,230 crore. The project, being developed under a public-private partnership model, is currently running behind schedule.
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