Shahjahanpur, Uttar Pradesh: In a significant step toward enhancing India’s defense infrastructure and operational readiness, the Indian Air Force (IAF) on Friday initiated its high-profile “land and go” exercises on a specially developed 3.5-kilometre airstrip of the under-construction Ganga Expressway in Shahjahanpur district, Uttar Pradesh. This drill marks a historic first in Indian aviation history as the expressway becomes the country’s only highway-based airstrip capable of handling fighter jet operations both day and night.
While similar emergency landing exercises have previously been conducted on the Lucknow-Agra and Purvanchal Expressways, they were confined to daylight hours. The Ganga Expressway, with its enhanced features, now stands out by enabling round-the-clock aircraft landings and take-offs, setting a new benchmark for highway-based airstrips in India.
Multi-Aircraft Participation and Operational Objectives
The exercise features a broad spectrum of IAF assets, including cutting-edge fighter jets and transport aircraft. The participating aircraft in this drill include:
- Rafale
- SU-30 MKI
- Mirage-2000
- MiG-29
- Jaguar
- C-130J Super Hercules
- AN-32 transport aircraft
- MI-17 V5 utility helicopter
These aircraft will be carrying out low-altitude fly-pasts, touch-and-go landings, and full-scale take-offs, simulating real-time emergency scenarios. The night-time component of the drill adds a complex layer to the exercise, testing pilot skills, visibility systems, and runway readiness under limited lighting conditions.
According to senior IAF officials, these drills aim to validate the feasibility of using civilian infrastructure such as expressways for rapid deployment and emergency landings during wartime, natural disasters, or other contingencies that may compromise access to traditional airbases.
Strategic Significance and Civil-Military Collaboration
With India ramping up its border security and preparedness amidst evolving geopolitical tensions, such dual-use infrastructure strengthens national defence. The ability to repurpose expressways as alternate runways greatly enhances the Indian Air Force’s tactical mobility, ensuring air assets can operate from multiple dispersed locations across the country.
State officials from Uttar Pradesh have emphasized that this development showcases effective civil-military collaboration, where infrastructure designed for civilian use doubles as a national security asset.
“This is not just an engineering feat, but a strategic capability upgrade,” a senior UP official stated. “The successful execution of these drills will demonstrate how critical infrastructure like expressways can serve dual purposes in times of need.”
Massive Public Interest and Tight Security Measures
The drills drew massive public attention, with hundreds of school students, locals, and aviation enthusiasts lining up to witness the spectacle. The roar of fighter jets streaking across the sky and gliding down on a highway left the crowd in awe.
To ensure safety and surveillance, the area was fortified with over 250 CCTV cameras, multiple security checkpoints, and patrolling teams. Top defence officials, including representatives from the Indian Air Force and the Ministry of Defence, were present at the site to monitor the exercise and assess the preparedness of the newly constructed airstrip.
Ganga Expressway: A Future-Ready Corridor
When fully operational, the 594-km Ganga Expressway will connect Meerut to Prayagraj, passing through 12 districts in Uttar Pradesh. It is poised to become the state’s longest expressway, significantly boosting regional connectivity, trade, and now, national defense readiness.
With this new capability, the Ganga Expressway joins an elite list of highways in India that support aircraft landings, becoming the fourth such expressway in the state, after Agra-Lucknow, Purvanchal, and Bundelkhand Expressways. However, it is the first to be equipped for night-time aviation drills, setting a precedent for future expressway projects nationwide.
A Vision for the Future
The success of this initiative is expected to serve as a model for future expressway designs across India, with the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways likely to consider integrating aviation-compatible stretches into upcoming infrastructure projects.
Experts believe that incorporating such dual-use capabilities will be a game-changer for national defense planning, especially in regions prone to natural disasters or near sensitive border zones.
As India continues to modernize its armed forces and strengthen civil-military infrastructure integration, exercises like these not only prepare the nation for unforeseen emergencies but also signal a forward-looking defense strategy that maximizes the utility of every kilometre of national infrastructure.
