In anticipation of a planned missile test on March 26, 2025, the district administration of Balasore, acting on the recommendation of DRDO, has begun the evacuation of roughly 3,200 people from six villages situated within a 2.5-kilometer radius of Launch Complex-III (LC-III) at Chandipur’s Integrated Test Range (ITR). In order to ensure public safety throughout the test, this decision complies with suggestions made by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
On March 25, representatives from the district administration, police, and DRDO met jointly to explore ways to handle the temporary eviction of residents. More than 100 government employees have been sent to help with the relocation, and three makeshift shelters have been set up to aid in this operation.
Multipurpose cyclone shelters with basic supplies will house the impacted villagers, who are from Jayadevkasba Pahi, Sahajanagar Pahi, Bhimpur Pahi, Tundra Pahi, Khadupahi, and Kusumuli.
Residents have been actively being informed about the evacuation procedures by authorities through door-to-door announcements, with instructions to relocate to the shelters by 6 AM on the day of the test. By 11 AM on the day of evacuation, recipients will get their compensation straight into their bank accounts, and meals will be served at the shelters.
Suryavanshi Mayur Vikash, the district collector, emphasised that during this missile launch, public safety comes first. In order to minimise disturbance and guarantee a seamless operation, he asked impacted communities to collaborate with the administration. The plans demonstrate a thorough strategy to ensure safety while permitting the missile test to occur without incident.
