Jammu-Srinagar Highway: Traffic suspended for aircraft trial run

SRINAGAR: Traffic has been suspended on the Wanpoh-Sangam stretch of the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway for an aircraft trial run on the emergency landing strip in Bijbehara.

Last year, authorities built the 3.5-kilometre strip for emergencies. Security is tight, with extra personnel to keep people out.

An official said, ‘Traffic on the highway has been diverted from Wanpoh to Sangam to bypass the Bijbehara emergency landing strip, where trial landing and takeoff of an aircraft are scheduled later in the day.’

Fighter planes and other aircraft can use the strip in situations requiring massive resource mobilization, such as war or natural disasters.