Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir): Amidst the military standoff with China in the eastern Ladakh region, the Indian Air Force (IAF) has started the construction of an emergency runway facility in South Kashmir.
The three-kilometre long runway will come up adjacent to National Highway 44 in Bijbehara area of South Kashmir's Anantnag district.
The work on the runway started two days ago on war footing, an official said, adding that it will act as an emergency runway facility for fighter jets.
The passes for the construction of the runway to the trucks and workers were issued by the district administration.
The development assumes significance as it comes at a time when there is military standoff along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) between the Indian Army and China's PLA.
Indian and Chinese troops were engaged in a bitter standoff in several areas along the Line of Actual Control in mountainous eastern Ladakh for close to a month. Both the countries are holding talks at military and diplomatic levels to resolve the dispute.
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