Coimbatore: Sulur Air Force station plans parallel taxi track, essential in times of war

COIMBATORE: The defence ministry plans to build a parallel taxi track at the Sulur Air Force station to ensure unhindered operations in the event of the main runway coming under attack in times of war.
Parallel taxi track operations are very challenging as aircraft have to land and take off from a track which is shorter than the main runway.
The defence ministry has asked the state government for 200 acres to construct the parallel taxi track and another 200 acres for the planned weapons depot at the IAF base.The weapons depot was planned earlier as there was no such facility in the southern air command, which covers a vast area including the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman and Nicobar islands .
And, according to sources who spoke on condition of anonymity, the revenue department has identified 400 acres in Kangeyampalayam, Appanaickenpatti and Kalangal villages in Sulur taluk for the purpose.
A detailed proposal has been sent to the commissionerate of land administration (CLA) office, Chennai. The Ministry of Defence will bear the expenses for the land acquisition. The sources added that once the state government gives administrative sanction and if the defence ministry agrees to the area demarcated, a district revenue officer (DRO) cadre officer will be appointed by the district administration for land acquisition. “We are waiting for a reply from the Ministry of Defence in connection with the land acquisition,” said an official from the revenue department.