Image: Representational

Odisha: Over 2,500 Evacuated Near Chandipur Range for Missile Test

04 Nov 2026, 10:28 by Vinay Kakkad · KalingaTV

Balasore: Ahead of a scheduled missile launch at the Integrated Test Range (ITR) in Chandipur, authorities moved more than 2,500 people and their livestock out of nearby settlements on Tuesday.

It is a familiar drill for the communities living in the shadow of the missile base. Whenever a live trial is scheduled, the perimeter must be emptied. District teams managed the temporary shift, setting up camps equipped with hot meals, safe drinking water, and basic necessities, while security teams kept watch over the sites.

Families living within the designated safety radius in Odisha’s Balasore district were taken to nearby shelters so no one remained in harm’s way during the trial.

They will have to wait before returning to their daily routines. Local officials noted that evacuees will stay in the camps until the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) wraps up the test and gives official clearance that the ground is safe.

Temporary relocations like this are standard operating practice for the administration whenever the Chandipur range carries out weapons testing.