PM Modi to witness historic ELF aerial display in Assam; Rs 5,450-crore projects to be launched

Assam is set to witness a historic moment on February 14, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi will land at the Emergency Landing Facility (ELF) on the Moran Bypass in Dibrugarh and observe an aerial display by fighter jets, transport aircraft and helicopters.

According to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), the Prime Minister will land at the ELF around 10:30 AM. The facility is the first of its kind in Northeast India and has been designed in coordination with the Indian Air Force to support emergency landings and take-offs of both military and civil aircraft.

Envisioned as a dual-use infrastructure, the ELF can handle fighter aircraft up to 40 tonnes and transport aircraft up to 74 tonnes maximum take-off weight. It is expected to serve as a strategic asset for the region, enabling rapid deployment of rescue and relief operations during natural disasters and other emergencies.

Later in the day, at around 1 PM, the Prime Minister will inspect the newly built Kumar Bhaskar Varma Setu across the Brahmaputra. The six-lane extradosed Prestressed Concrete (PSC) bridge, constructed at a cost of approximately Rs 3,030 crore, connects Guwahati with North Guwahati. It is the first extradosed bridge of its kind in Northeast India and is expected to reduce travel time between the two points to just seven minutes.

Considering the high seismic activity in the region, the bridge incorporates advanced engineering features such as base isolation using friction pendulum bearings and high-performance stay cables for enhanced durability. A Bridge Health Monitoring System (BHMS) has also been installed to enable real-time condition monitoring, early detection of structural damage, and improved safety.

At around 1:30 PM, the Prime Minister will inaugurate and flag off development projects worth over Rs 5,450 crore at Lachit Ghat in Guwahati. These initiatives are aimed at strengthening connectivity, digital infrastructure, higher education and urban mobility in the Northeastern Region.

Among the key projects is the inauguration of the National Data Centre for the Northeastern Region at Amingaon in Kamrup district. The state-of-the-art facility, with a total sanctioned load of 8.5 MW and an average rack capacity of 10 kW, will host mission-critical applications for various government departments and act as a disaster recovery centre for other national data centres. The project aligns with the vision of Digital India and aims to strengthen the ICT backbone of the region, ensuring secure and reliable digital services.

The Prime Minister will also inaugurate the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Guwahati, which is expected to significantly boost higher and management education in the region.

In addition, over 225 electric buses under the PM-eBus Sewa Scheme will be flagged off across four cities, 100 in Guwahati, 50 in Nagpur, 50 in Bhavnagar and 25 in Chandigarh. The rollout of e-bus services is expected to benefit over 50 lakh citizens by providing clean, affordable and reliable public transport, thereby improving urban mobility and enhancing quality of life.

(Inputs of ANI)