NELLORE: National Highways Authority of India completed the runway works related to emergency landing facilities on National Highway No 16 at two places between Chilakaluripeta and Nellore.
A 4.1 km long 33 metres wide cement airstrip has been readied at Muppavaram near Addanki and another strip measuring 3.6 km long and 33 metres width is nearing completion at Singarayakonda in Prakasam district.
Indian Air Force authorities, who devised the plans for the runways, inspected the two stretches recently.
According to officials, the highway stretches will be blocked in case of an emergency and will be put to use exclusively for aircraft landing. The big advantage with the airstrips is that they can be used for strategic purposes as well as during calamities for rescue and relief operations.
In fact, the Chennai-Kolkata NH 16 is running parallel to Bay of Bengal and the airstrips located in Prakasam district are close to SPSR Nellore and Guntur districts, which are prone to cyclones and natural calamities.
NHAI has been constructing airstrips for emergency landing in more than 25 locations across the country. In order to shift men and material, a large area has been earmarked for parking close to the airstrip at Singarayakonda.
“The cement runways are almost completed and the balance work is related to Air Traffic Control towers at both places. The median will be removed on the runway and fencing will be arranged on both sides to prevent people or animals from straying into the airstrip,” officials said.
