Six advanced landing grounds to be prepared in Arunachal

TEZPUR ( ASSAM): Six advanced landing grounds will be prepared immediately by Indian Air Force in Arunachal Pradesh for emergency landing of defence aircraft and helicopters.

The advanced landing grounds would be set up at Ziro, Vijay Nagar, Mechuka, Pasighat, Tuting and Walong, defence sources said here today.

The Border Road Organisation here under Army's 4 Corps has taken measures to complete surface communication projects within the stipulated period, the sources said.

Union DoNER minister Paban Singh Ghatowar during a visit to the state earlier this week had said Rs 35 crore had been earmarked by his ministry for development of surface communication along the Sino-India border.

Ghatowar had also suggested that the Army and Air Force build up suitable surface and air communication there.

The defence sources said the 417 km long road along the Sino-India border in Arunachal Pradesh is expected to be completed this year.

IAF, the sources said, will develop an air field at Panagar in West Bengal for landing C-130J aircraft.