Twitter
Advertisement

Capital, atomic plant gets air cover

Fighters have been deployed at an air base on the fringes of Delhi to protect the national capital.

Latest News
article-main
FacebookTwitterWhatsappLinkedin
NEW DELHI: Days after putting the armed forces on high alert, the government has initiated a slew of rare measures to thwart aerial threats to vital installations. Fighters have been deployed at an air base on the fringes of Delhi to protect the national capital.

A no-flying zone has been declared around the Kalpakkam atomic power plant.
The actions are in line with the government’s decision to keep its forces in a state of war readiness without massive mobilisation of ground troops. DNA had reported on December 10 that IAF bases had been put in “passive air defence” (PAD) mode, with fighters mounted with bombs and ready to take off.

After nearly a decade, MiG-29 fighters have been deployed at the Hindon air base near Delhi. Hindon was abandoned in 1997 as a fighter base after repeated bird-hit cases.

The newly deployed fighters at Hindon can be airborne in minutes if the capital faces any attack.

Meanwhile, the directorate-general of civil aviation (DGCA) has declared a no-flying zone around the Kalpakkam nuclear plant in Tamil Nadu. The DGCA notice prohibits any air activity up to 10,000 feet above Kalpakkam, within a radius of 10km. The orders were issued under the Aircraft Act, 1934, which empowers the DGCA to declare such zones around key installations. Using the same powers, the DGCA has in the past declared the Trombay hills near Mumbai, which house the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, and Kota in Rajasthan, which has a nuclear plant as well as many other critical installations, including atomic stations, no-flying zones.

The IAF has put all its fighter bases in PAD mode which means they are geared to take all possible measures to defend the country’s assets. Under PAD, all platforms,
including fighters, are kept operationally ready with missiles and pilots are prepared to fly at short notice.

The IAF has also moved some missile formations, especially surface-to-air missiles, to forward bases. The entire western fleet of the navy has been put on high alert, while army formations along the border are maintaining a heightened vigil.
Find your daily dose of news & explainers in your WhatsApp. Stay updated, Stay informed-  Follow DNA on WhatsApp.
Advertisement

Live tv

Advertisement
Advertisement