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INFRASTRUCTURE

or a rescue mission, vehicles on
the main carriageway of the
Arrangement of traffic control devices on Bangarmau expressway can be guided to
airstrip of Agra-Lucknow expressway was given a a safe diversion road running
deceptively simple look even though parallel to the airstrip that is
it is a dual facility. That was the specifically constructed for this
challenge wherein lies the purpose.
initiative’s success. This was to Entry of vehicles into the airstrip
ensure that vehicular traffic was will be completely restricted by
not unnecessarily alarmed during way of installation of barricades
regular highway operations. that can be installed within a few
minutes. Permanent traffic control
Aircraft, on the other hand, and traffic safety devices on the
were given suitable guidance to expressway were designed and
safely manoeuvre as well, installed in such a way that the
thereby addressing the change from road to runway can
need of two diverse types of be made possible within a short
users under very different time, typically within a few hours
circumstances. according to standard operating
procedures.
– SUVRA CHAKRABARTI
Challenges…

referred for design enhancement dual facilities are ideally capable There were design challenges
wherever necessary. for operations of various types of course. Standard codes and
of military aircraft currently in guidelines for dual road/runway
For runway design, ICAO design did not exist in India.
Annex 14 is the universal use by the IAF. Rafale, Mirage Design specifications of the IAF
standard for aerodrome design 2000, Sukhoi, MiG, C1300J Super are confidential in nature and
and operations. Further, Hercules and various combat had restricted circulation policy
IAF’s own guidelines specify helicopters have been able to use and this posed as a challenge
requirements for runway/ the dual facilities. to the engineers designing and
airstrip facilities. However, constructing the dual facility.
currently, there is no integration Design development of Pavement design and the
of highway and airfield design Bangarmau airstrip appearance of the constructed
manuals, guidelines or standards The 5-km long Bangarmau surface of the pavement was
in India. Various requirements airstrip, a straight stretch of significantly different from the
are integrated into a set of road on the Agra-Lucknow adjacent expressway pavement
actionable points as design basis expressway, was selected as it before and after the stretch. In
for project specific cases. this case, the entire expressway
was suitable to be constructed as
All types of motorized vehicles the country’s first dual roadway/ was flexible pavement whereas
such as cars, buses and trucks runway facility. The expressway the designated airstrip pavement
generally permitted on Indian operates like all other high-speed was rigid pavement and appeared
roads are allowed to ply on the vehicular facility. However, lighter coloured surface from
select stretch of dual facilities. the runway portion can be aerial view.
The design of pavement of the taken over by the IAF based Additional right-of-way (land)
runway is not governed by the on emergency operational and was required on both sides of
type of vehicles but for higher training needs. During peace the full length of the designated
loading. However, it is imperative time, the expressway, including stretch for running parallel
that the facilities on the select the airstrip, operates as a high- diversion roads. Additional land
stretch cater to all types of speed corridor for vehicles. At was also required on both ends
vehicles. The select stretch of times of adversity, such as a war of the runway for emergency

26 TRAFFICINFRATECH / June 2025 / www.trafficinfratech.com