New Delhi [India], February 15 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that it is a matter of immense pride that the Northeastern region has got an Emergency Landing Facility (ELF) and that the facility is of great importance from a strategic point of view.

'It is a matter of immense pride that the Northeast gets an Emergency Landing Facility. From a strategic point of view and during times of natural disasters, this facility is of great importance,' PM Modi said in a post on X.

Earlier in the day, PM Modi landed at the Emergency Landing Facility (ELF) in IAF's C130J aircraft on Moran Bypass in Dibrugarh and witnessed the Aerial Display of Fighters, Transports and Helicopters.

The Emergency Landing Facility (ELF) is the first of its kind in Northeast India. It has been specially designed and constructed in coordination with the Indian Air Force to support landing and take-off of military and civil aircraft during emergencies. It will serve as a critical asset for emergency response, enabling quick deployment of rescue and relief operations during natural disasters or strategic requirements in the Northeast. Envisioned as dual-use infrastructure, the ELF is capable of handling fighter aircraft up to 40 tonnes and transport aircraft up to 74 tonnes maximum take-off weight.

During his visit to Assam, Prime Minister inaugurated IIM Guwahati, which will give a major fillip to higher education and management education in the North-Eastern Region

PM Modi inaugurated Kumar Bhaskar Varma Setu across the Brahmaputra in Guwahati and stated that this bridge is a vital infrastructure project for Guwahati and areas around it. He said connectivity, comfort and commerce will be significantly enhanced and it will enable devotees to go to the Kamakhya Temple with greater ease.

'Kumar Bhaskar Varma Setu across the Brahmaputra is a vital infrastructure project for Guwahati and areas around it. Connectivity, comfort and commerce will be significantly enhanced. It will enable devotees to go to the Kamakhya Temple with greater ease,' he said in a post on X.

Kumar Bhaskar Varma Setu across River Brahmaputra has been built at a cost of around Rs 3,030 crore. The 6-lane extradosed Prestressed Concrete (PSC) bridge connects Guwahati with North Guwahati and is the first extradosed bridge in Northeast India. It will cut travel time between Guwahati-North Guwahati to seven minutes. Considering the high seismicity of the region, the bridge incorporates base isolation technology using friction pendulum bearings. High-performance stay cables have been used to ensure durability and long-term structural performance.

A Bridge Health Monitoring System (BHMS) has also been incorporated for real-time condition monitoring, early damage detection and improved safety and service life of the extradosed bridge.

PM Modi inaugurated several key projects aimed at accelerating connectivity, strengthening digital infrastructure, promoting higher education, and enhancing public transport, thereby giving a significant boost to development in the North-Eastern Region.

He inaugurated the National Data Centre for North Eastern Region at Amingaon in Kamrup district of Assam. The state-of-the-art Data Centre, with a total sanctioned load of 8.5 MW and an average rack capacity of 10 kW per rack, will host mission-critical applications of various government departments and also function as a Disaster Recovery centre for other National Data Centres.

This will enable governments in the Northeast to digitally facilitate delivery of essential citizen-centric services. Aligned with the vision of Digital India, National Data Centre for North Eastern Region has been envisaged as a strategic intervention to strengthen the region's ICT backbone and ensure robust, secure and always-available digital infrastructure..

PM Modi also flagged off 225 electric buses under the PM-eBus Sewa Scheme in Guwahati (100), Nagpur (50), Bhavnagar (50) and Chandigarh (25).

With the launch of e-bus operations under the PM-eBus Sewa Scheme in these four cities, more than 50 lakh citizens are expected to benefit through access to clean, affordable and reliable public transport services, contributing to improved urban mobility and enhanced quality of life, a release said. (ANI)