The IAF on Friday began its much-anticipated "land and go" drill on a 3.5-km stretch of the Ganga Expressway in Uttar Pradesh’s Shahjahanpur district, marking a major step forward in India’s defence preparedness.

This expressway stretch stands out because it has the unique capability to facilitate both day and night landings of fighter jets, making it the first such airstrip in the country. Until now, the IAF carried out similar emergency landing drills on the Lucknow-Agra and Purvanchal expressways, but those were limited to daytime operations.

Students from various schools and locals flocked to watch the awe-inspiring flight demonstrations on the expressway.

The trial involves a range of IAF aircraft, including Rafale, SU-30 MKI, Mirage-2000, MiG-29, Jaguar, C-130J Super Hercules, AN-32, and the MI-17 V5 helicopter.

The IAF is conducting exercises involving low fly-pasts, landings, and take-offs during both daylight and night-time conditions.

State government officials believe the drill’s success will show that the expressway can serve as an alternate runway during emergencies as well, increasing the IAF’s operational flexibility.

Officials have equipped the expressway with over 250 CCTV cameras to ensure foolproof security and surveillance. Senior defence and state officials were present to monitor the proceedings.

Once finished, the Ganga Expressway will become Uttar Pradesh’s fourth expressway to feature an emergency airstrip and the first to support night landings, “paving the way for round-the-clock operational preparedness.”