Balasore: Chandipur in Balasore district, home to Proof and Experimental Establishment and Integrated Test Range (ITR) of DRDO, has earned a special place in the country’s defence sector.
It was the British who had discovered the strategic importance of the place. During the East India Company’s rule, ordnance factories and arsenal testing ranges were setup at Kashipur, Ichhapur, Dumdum, Poona (now Pune), Bombay (now Mumbai) and Fatehgarh.
Sensitive arsenal and artillery were, however, shipped to England for testing. In 1800, an ordnance factory was set up at Kashipur in West Bengal, and by 1994, the unit was expanded into the largest one in the country.
However, for testing of arsenal, the British did not deem Bengal fit, as it was not well above the sea level. Considering this problem, Captain Blue G Maslone, who was then the chief of Orissa ports in the British Army, had recommended the shifting of the testing range from Bengal to Orissa.
General Fred S Roberts and director of ordnance factories Alexander Walker had proposed the British government that Chandipur within the river outfall area of Budhabalanga was tailor-made for testing of arsenals.
At that time, then Balasore collector CH Bompas had acquired land for the test range towards the end of 1894. This was how the foundation of the ordnance factory was laid at Chandipur.
There was no rail connectivity to Orissa then. The British used to come to Chandipur via Trunk Road. Significantly, arsenal testing was successful in that year itself. In December the same year, the ordnance factory was accorded government recognition.
Utkal Deepika, then widely read journal of Orissa, reported that RT Moore, then head of Ichhapur-based ordnance factory, was appointed as the first director of Chandipur ordnance factory (proof).
In 1898, residential quarters were built near Balasore railway station square for staff of the ordnance factory.
Development of major infrastructure like road from Canal Ghat to Chandipur, and shed for cannons and observation platform was taken up in 1902.
On the first Independence Day, August 15, 1947, proof director RLO Morris had ordered for unfurling of the Union Jack at Chandipur.
However, the order was strongly opposed by Abhinab Singh, a havildar from Orissa. He was jailed for opposing the order.
Binod Das, an Oriya, who was the stenographer of Morris, had intimated the matter to Jayant Ghose, a renowned correspondent then. Das had also taken up the matter with then Prime Minister of Orissa Dr Harekrushna Mahatab, who apprised the Government of India of the matter.
Taking serious note of the issue, the Government of India released Abhinab from jail and removed Morris from his post. GN Mitra, appointed in his place, became the first Indian director of the proof at Chandipur.
Prior to Independence, the ordnance hub was based out of an area of 1722.52 acres. Its area was expanded in 1949 with acquisition of 600.99 acres of land.
In 1958, DRDO was formed on instruction from then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. The Chandipur-based ordnance factory was brought under DRDO the same year.
In the early 1980s, the Government of India had proposed to set up at the Integrated Test Range at Baliapal, but the project could not take off due to some controversies.
After due survey in 1984-85, the ITR was set up at Chandipur and was made fully operational in 1986-87.
Missile man and former President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam was appointed its first director. The ITR emerged as a cradle of missile testing in India.
All short and long range missiles of different versions starting from Agni-I till Agni-VI, Akash, Prithvi, Trishul, Nag, Pinaka, Shaurya and Brahmos are being tested from ITR at regular intervals.
Unmanned aircraft ‘Lakhsya’ and supersonic missiles are also being tested regularly from the range. PNN
