Sultanpur (UP)

A two-day Indian Air Force (IAF) exercise featuring fighter-jet operations began on Wednesday on an emergency airstrip along the Purvanchal Expressway in Uttar Pradesh's Sultanpur district, with authorities tightening security and clamping traffic restrictions.

The exercise is being conducted at the Arval-Kiri Karwat airstrip, where fighter aircraft are carrying out "touch-and-go" operations as part of preparedness to use expressways as alternative runways during emergencies, officials said.

They said an air traffic control system has been set up near the expressway to manage aircraft movement during the exercise.

The local administration earlier intensified the security arrangements around the airstrip and appealed to residents to maintain a safe distance and avoid paying heed to rumours.

The exercise also generated excitement in the area as people got an opportunity to witness fighter jets up close.

Authorities said traffic on a 12-km stretch of the expressway has been diverted till May 1 as a precautionary measure and will resume from May 2, after the exercise concludes.

The officials noted that similar drills were conducted earlier, including in June 2023 when Sukhoi and Mirage aircraft performed touch-and-go operations on the 3.2-km airstrip.

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The expressway was also used for such manoeuvres during its inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in November 2021, when fighter jets and a Hercules aircraft landed on the stretch.

Meanwhile, Wednesday (April 22) also marked the first anniversary of the Pahalgam terror attack, in which 26 people lost their lives.