Form of words:
Barmer: Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on Thursday promised the Indian Air Force (IAF) that emergency landing strips for armed force aircraft would be developed within 15 days instead of 1.5 years.
Gadkari and Defense Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday inaugurated a 3-km-long emergency landing strip on National Highway 925 for Indian Air Force aircraft.
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) took about 19 months to construct the emergency landing strip on the Satta-Gandhav section on NH-925 in Barmer.
“Yesterday, when the honorable Air Force Chief came to me, he told me that it took 1.5 years to develop this landing strip (in Barmer),” Gadkari said in his speech here after the inauguration.
“Then I told them that we would develop good quality landing strips for you within 15 days instead of 1.5 years,” he said.
NH-925 is the first national highway in India to be used for emergency landing by IAF aircraft.
Gadkari said the armed forces should build a small airport here.
“As per my knowledge, there is no airport here in an area of about 350 km. I have told CDS (Chief of Defense Staff) Bipin Rawat sir that you can build a small airport here,” the minister said.
“If you need land, we will give it to you. You should conduct your defense activities there, and there will also be small civil operations. If private airlines start one or two daily flights, the local people will also get the benefit of it,” he said.
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