What is a Highway Airstrip?

A  road runway  is a division of a highway or motorway that is specifically constructed to act as a runway for military aircraft and to serve as a supplementary military air base. These runways permit military aircraft to carry on their service even if their usual airbases are degraded or destroyed in any war. These highway stretches are also used in emergencies if an active airport is not accessible for any reason.

Keeping in mind emergency situations and natural calamity the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has planned to set up 11 emergency landing airstrips on the national highways across India.

Where and How many Air Strips does India has?

Currently, Uttar Pradesh in India is the only state to have airstrip and in fact, UP is the first-ever Indian state to have not one but two road base.

The first, one being made on Lucknow-Agra Expressway which connects UP’s capital Lucknow to Agra which further connects to Delhi via Yamuna Expressway. The airstrip on Lucknow-Agra expressway was the first time tested by the fighter and transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force in 2017.

This 3-hour long practice was held near Bangarmau around 65km from Lucknow. The practice saw more than a dozen of IAF planes including Mirage 2000 fighter, Sukhoi 30s, and Super Hercules aircraft performing hair-raising touch and go landings. Mirage 2000 and Sukhoi 30s have earlier landed on Yamuna expressway as well on its inauguration ceremony in 2015 but it was the first time that the massive 3500kg, C-130J Super Hercules landed anywhere else than IAF’s official road runway. The second airstrip in UP has been recently built completely near Kurebhar on Purvanchal expressway which is touted to become Gateway to Delhi. This 3300m long road base is capable of accommodating landing of all types of aircraft and will be soon tested by the Indian Air Force.

Which all are the upcoming air strips in India?

Consider the significance of road runway, the Centre plans to set up as many as 29 airstrips on national highways. These airstrips will be proposed at strategic locations such as highways and roads near International borders in the state of Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand, Manipur and West Bengal. Nearly 3 airstrips will be planned on highways connecting Maoists affected areas. Even the southern states of India, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh will also have their own road base enabling emergency aircraft landings in case of natural calamities, rescue operations, war situations etc.