In a major touchdown exercise involving 20 planes, first of 16 Indian Air Force planes landed on Lucknow-Agra expressway near Unnao on Tuesday.
This is for the "first time" that transport aircraft (AN-32) "land and then take off" from this highway, an official said.
"It is for the first time that any transport aircraft will land and then take off (on the highway). The AN-32 are meant for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. The aircraft can bring a large amount of relief material and can also help in evacuating people," PRO, Defence (Central Command), Gargi Malik Sinha said.
In all, 20 aircraft including AN-32 transport and fighter planes like Mirage 2000, Jaguar, Sukhoi 30 MKI will take part in the exercise, she said.
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To ensure a smooth conduct of the touchdown by IAF aircraft, traffic restrictions were placed on the Agra- Lucknow Expressway for general public from October 23 to October 24.
In a letter sent to district magistrate Unnao, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA) Awanish Awasthi had said that Indian Air Force was planning to conduct highways flying operations on October 24 on the airstrip of Agra- Lucknow Expressway in Unnao district.
The CEO asked the Unnao district magistrate to ensure that sufficient police force is deployed to control the public and movement of authorised vehicles on expressway and also take measures to ensure safe flying operations on the scheduled day from 8 AM till 1 PM. (PTI)
