New Delhi: Wary of the build up of Chinese military infrastructure along its
borders, India has silently activated an advanced landing ground (ALG) for its
air force transport planes at Dharasu in Uttarakhand to aid in the swift
movement of troops during conflicts.
The ALG, at an altitude of 2,950 feet in the Uttarkashi hills bordering
China, was made operational in the second half of 2010 without much fanfare with
the landing of an AN-32 medium lift transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force
(IAF), reported IANS.
This information is contained in the latest issue of ’The Blue Glory’, an air
headquarters’ quarterly news bulletin.
Dharasu was a "professional challenge" for years for the IAF and the "trial
landing" of the AN-32 aircraft there was effected by the 12 Squadron of the IAF.
"The ALG is situated in the bowl in hills with restricted approach from both
sides. It is at an elevation of 2,950 feet and the usable length of the landing
ground is 3,400 feet," the bulletin said.
The landing was achieved under the leadership of Central Air Command senior
air staff officer Air Marshal V.M. Varthaman and 12 Squadron commanding officer,
Group Captain S.K. Indoria, it added.
When Central Air Command spokesperson Group Captain Amit Mahajan was
contacted over the phone Wednesday for further details of the Dharasu ALG
opening, he refused to discuss the matter, citing "military" reasons.
When it was pointed out that the information was now in the public domain
through the IAF bulletin, Mahajan reacted angrily and said he would not give any
more details.
Dharasu’s opening for air operations comes two years after India consciously
began upgrading and opening ALGs along the 4,057-km-long Sino-Indian line of
actual control (LAC).
Apart from military mobilisation, the upgrade of the ALGs would also ensure
that the movement of civilians and goods continues when road traffic gets
affected during the harsh winter.
Daulat Beg Oldi at the tri-junction of Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan-occupied
Kashmir and Aksai Chin, a 38,000 sq km of land in eastern Ladakh occupied by
China after the 1962 Sino-Indian war, was the first such ALG to be opened.
The ALG, at the northern-most part of Ladakh at an altitude of 16,200 feet
and just nine km away from the LAC, was made operational for AN-32s on May 31,
2008.
Just six months later, the IAF opened Fukche ALG, an old airstrip abandoned
after the 1962 war, at an altitude of 13,700 feet, only three km from LAC in the
southeastern part of Ladakh on Nov 4, 2008, again with an AN-32 landing.
On Sep 18, 2009, the IAF again carried out a first time landing at Nyoma in
southeastern Ladakh, 23 km from the LAC. Nyoma was used as an helicopter base by
the IAF prior to the AN-32 landing there.
After reactivating the ALGs in the western and central sectors along the
Sino-Indian border, the IAF is also working on upgrading the ALGs on the eastern
sector such as Pasighat, Mechuka, Walong, Tuting, Ziro and Vijaynagar, as well
as several helipads in Arunachal Pradesh.
Apart from controlling 38,000 sq km of Aksai Chin, China also administers
another 5,180 sq km of northern Kashmir ceded by Pakistan under a 1963 pact.
China also claims the whole of Arunachal Pradesh state in northeastern India as
its own territory.
In recent years, China has build up several air bases in the Tibet region,
closer to its borders with India, apart from strengthening the road
infrastructure and rail link to the region, to enable quick mobilisation of its
troops.
India has responded to the Chinese military build up by strengthening its
border roads and air force infrastructure, apart from deploying its front line
fighter jets at bases closer to the borders and raising two new mountain
divisions for the northeast. Online
