Assam pushes for more Emergency Landing Facilities, plans new airports
Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday said the state has asked the Centre to approve more Emergency Landing Facilities (ELFs) after the inauguration of the Northeast’s first such facility in Moran by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Addressing a press conference, Sarma said the newly opened ELF in Dibrugarh district holds major strategic value for Assam and the wider Northeast region. He added that the state wants additional emergency landing strips to improve disaster response and strengthen regional security infrastructure.
The Chief Minister said Assam has already identified the need for multiple emergency landing facilities, especially for use during floods and other natural disasters.
According to him, transport aircraft such as the C-130J can use ELFs to deliver relief materials during emergencies, making them crucial for disaster management.
"We have written to the Centre seeking more ELFs in the state. We need more such facilities for use during disasters such as floods. During a deluge, transport carriers such as C130 would be able to land at ELFs with relief materials," he said.
New airports planned in four locations
Sarma announced that the Assam government will sign an agreement with the Civil Aviation Ministry next month to conduct feasibility studies for building new airports at: Majuli, Diphu, Umrangso and Manas.
The move is aimed at improving air connectivity and boosting infrastructure development across the state.
Major strategic projects approved
The Chief Minister also highlighted key infrastructure projects recently approved by the Centre, including a 34-km twin-tube underwater road-cum-rail tunnel under the Brahmaputra river between Gohpur and Numaligarh.
In addition, plans for a new rail network beneath the Chicken’s Neck corridor have also been cleared.
Sarma said these projects, along with the development of ELFs, would strengthen Assam’s strategic importance and improve connectivity in the Northeast.