Highways as runways: Why Northeast’s first emergency landing strip is a message to China
Times of India
by TOI NEWS DESKFebruary 14, 2026
AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary
India has unveiled a groundbreaking Emergency Landing Facility (ELF) on the Moran Bypass in Assam’s Dibrugarh, marking a significant leap in its strategic infrastructure. Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated the 4.2 km stretch of National Highway 127, which doubles as a high-performance military runway, during a historic landing in an IAF C-130J Super Hercules. This move has been hailed by defence officials as a “moment of profound significance” for India’s national security and regional resilience.
The ELF is a unique dual-use asset, engineered with specialised Pavement Quality Concrete (PQC) to handle heavy aircraft up to 74 tonnes. Situated near the Line of Actual Control (LAC), it serves as a critical backup for nearby airbases like Chabua and Tezpur, providing operational redundancy in case primary facilities are targeted during a conflict. Its rapid conversion from a civilian highway to a military runway underscores India’s innovative approach to creating a “mobile” air defence grid, which is far harder for adversaries to neutralise than fixed airbases.
Beyond its military utility, the facility holds immense value for Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) missions. It enables heavy transport planes to deliver life-saving supplies, rescue teams, and medical aid directly to remote areas of Upper Assam during emergencies. As part of a broader national security initiative, this is the fourth of 28 such ELF sites planned across India, with approximately 15 now operational from Rajasthan’s deserts to Uttar Pradesh’s expressways.
This strategic infrastructure not only strengthens India’s deterrence capabilities along its contested borders but also sets a precedent for adaptive and resilient military planning. The Moran Bypass ELF exemplifies how India is leveraging its vast highway network to build a flexible, hard-to-tackle air defence system, ensuring preparedness for both conflict and humanitarian crises.
Verticals
worldasia
Originally published on Times of India on 2/14/2026