Page 24 - TT June issue pdf for digital

INFRASTRUCTURE

Dual Use

Turning Highways

to Runways

Operation Sindoor affirmed the need for strong infrastructure facilities during peace
time as well during war or war-like situations. A nation is only as strong as its civil
infrastructure, which must always remain functional. A country’s added advantage
is when some facilities are made for dual use by both civilians and military during
active conflicts and emergency situations. Since the Indian Air Force can provide a

swift response, it is crucial that primary airbases are ably supported by secondary
ones and this can be achieved through integrating additional facilities with existing
civil infrastructure. Suvra Chakrabarti, Chief Engineering Manager - Traffic & Road
Safety, Transportation Infrastructure IC, Larsen & Toubro Limited, shares with
TrafficInfratech this deeply engrossing concept and how it has been adopted and
implemented in India.

hough the need for dual declared event in India. A runway. It was a relatively
facilities was identified Mirage 2000 landed on the straight one having regular
several decades ago, expressway near New Delhi traffic control devices such as
mainly in the developed to demonstrate that the most vehicular pavement marking
countries such as the USA; modern Indian highways can (edge lines, lane lines), raised
Thowever, it is a relatively meet the need for such facilities kerb and shoulder-side metal
new concept in India. in the future. However, the beam crash barrier. The selected
An IAF jet landing/take off stretch of Yamuna Expressway stretch did not have the treatment
was successfully carried out on where the event was held required for runways, specifically
Yamuna Expressway in UP in was neither designed nor the necessary runway pavement
2015 as the first such publicly constructed as a designated markings and clear widths.

24 TRAFFICINFRATECH / June 2025 / www.trafficinfratech.com