NEW DELHI: The Centre is working to develop infrastructure all across the country which will help aircraft — fighters and transport — and helicopters in speeding up movement during peace. For this, the highways will double up as emergency airstrips for military requirements when the need arises.
As per the plan announced recently by Nitin Gadkari, Cabinet Minister for Road Transport and Highways, there will be total of 20 emergency landing field (ELF) and more than 500 helipads and heliports which will primarily cater to the border states along Pakistan and China. The ELFs will be constructed in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, Leh (Ladakh), West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.