Maharashtra Ordnance Factory cancels all staff leave, cites national security and urgency

The Ordnance Factory Chanda in Maharashtra's Chandrapur district has cancelled all kinds of leave for its employees with immediate effect, citing “national security and operational urgency.”

A circular issued on Friday by the Deputy General Manager of the factory stated, “As per the directions received from the Chairman and Managing Director, Munitions India Limited (MIL), all kinds of leave stand cancelled with immediate effect.”

“All employees should report for duty without fail and ensure uninterrupted attendance and contribution in line with national requirements during this critical period,” the order added.

The circular also made it clear that exemptions will be granted only under the most compelling circumstances, reinforcing the seriousness of the directive.

While no specific reason was mentioned, the move comes at a time of heightened defence preparedness across the country.

On the same day, the Indian Air Force began its much-anticipated ‘land and go’ exercise on a 3.5-kilometre stretch of the Ganga Expressway in Uttar Pradesh’s Shahjahanpur — a first-of-its-kind operation that allows both day and night landings of combat aircraft.

This expressway airstrip marks a significant upgrade from previous emergency landing sites on the Lucknow-Agra and Purvanchal expressways, which were limited to daytime operations. The trial on Friday involved a wide array of aircraft including the Rafale, SU-30 MKI, Mirage-2000, MiG-29, Jaguar, C-130J Super Hercules, AN-32, and MI-17 V5 helicopters.

Superintendent of Police Rajesh Dwivedi said that the Piru village airstrip in Jalalabad region saw active flyovers and simulations by multiple fighter aircraft, both during the day and at night between 7 PM and 10 PM. Local police remained on high alert as the drills were conducted under strict security protocols.

Once complete, the Ganga Expressway will become the fourth such expressway in Uttar Pradesh with emergency landing capability — and the first one supporting round-the-clock operations.

These developments come amid rising tensions between India and Pakistan after terror attack in Pahalgam that left 26 dead.

(With inputs from PTI)