IAF fighter jets to land on Ganga Expressway in Shahjahanpur today

Bareilly: Indian Air Force (IAF) fighter jets will land for the first time on an airstrip built on the Ganga Expressway in Shahjahanpur district on Friday, as part of a major exercise. Rafale, Mirage and Jaguar aircraft will touch down during a daytime air show and a night landing drill, with extensive preparations and traffic curbs in place.
Chief minister Yogi Adityanath and hundreds of spectators are expected to attend the event, where the IAF will showcase its operational capability on the newly built airstrip near Piru village in the Jalalabad area. Representatives from the Adani Group will also be in attendance. The Katra-Jalalabad route will remain closed from 7pm to 10pm for the night segment. An air show will be held from 9:45am to 10:30am, following a full dress rehearsal at 8am.
The 3.2-km stretch of the Ganga Expressway, developed by the Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority, has been specially reinforced for emergency landings. The 594-km greenfield expressway is set to connect Meerut to Prayagraj and is designed to support IAF aircraft during wartime or natural disasters.
Shahjahanpur DM Dharmendra Pratap Singh and SP Rajesh Dwivedi inspected the site several times in the lead-up to the event. Singh directed officials to ensure proper CCTV coverage, dust control through water sprinkling, and seating arrangements for schoolchildren. He also stressed the need for effective stray cattle management. Singh also directed the BDOs of Madanapur and Jalalabad to ensure no stray animals are present within a five-kilometre radius of the runway.
Over 250 cameras have been installed to monitor the site, and lighting arrangements are in place to support the night landings. Singh confirmed that diversions would be implemented due to the road closure and urged the public to use alternate routes.
A German hanger has been constructed with seating for 200 to 250 people, including scout guides, NCC cadets, and workers involved in building the airstrip. Swiss cottages have also been erected along the runway to accommodate the chief minister and select dignitaries. Singh instructed that the cottages be designed to offer a clear view of the air show.
The media and pass holders will be seated outside the fenced area of the airstrip. The Air Force has finalised technical arrangements for the landings. Air Force officer Rajeev Ranjan said the final practice run will be conducted on May 1. The IAF has carried out similar highway landings on the Agra-Lucknow and Purvanchal expressways in recent years. These drills aim to prepare aircraft and crew for emergency operations using highways as alternate runways, especially in regions without permanent airbases.