Indian Air Force to convert Agra-Lucknow Expressway into India's first road runway: Reports

Indian Air Force will have their first ever road runway as Agra-Lucknow expressway in Uttar Pradesh is being considered to be turned into an airstrip.

Such road runways are important in case the regular airbases are rendered dysfunctional during hostilities. Indian Air Force will bear the cost of the project.

An officer in the UP secretariat told to Hindustan Times that a delegation of officers from Air Force Station Bakshi Ka Talab in Lucknow will meet Uttar Pradesh CM Akhilesh Yadav on Monday to finalise the deal.

The Agra-Lucknow expressway is the longest greenfield expressway in the country. The IAF and UP state government officers will work together to select a three kilometre segment to turn into an airstrip.

To convert the stretch of expressway in to a runway, a few specifics are needed to be considered - 

• The segment needs to be straight, levelled and located on non-undulating ground without slope.
• It should not have electricity poles, masts, or mobile phone towers
• Portable ground lighting systems will guide aircrafts during landings.