DRDO Initiates Project To Establish Weapon Test Centre In West Bengal's Junput: All About It

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has commenced a project in Junput village, West Bengal, to construct a small test centre for the country's weapon systems, officials revealed on Thursday (5 April), reported Economic Times.

Situated by the Bay of Bengal, Junput, akin to Odisha's Chandipur renowned for its Integrated Test Range (ITR), has been chosen as an additional operational area due to the saturation of work at the existing ITR in Chandipur.

Since its inception, DRDO has prioritized the design and development of cutting-edge sensors, weapon systems, platforms, and allied equipment across defence and security domains encompassing land, air, sea, space, and cyber, noted an official.

Recognizing the criticality of timely trials for weapon systems, DRDO initiated plans for an additional operation area in Junput, located approximately 70 kilometres from Chandipur.

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"Located in the coastal zone of West Bengal, this proposed site covers 8.73 acres of land and also meets the requisite safety norms. The project has got recommendations from the central and the West Bengal governments," the official said.

The project has also secured approval from the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change.

"According to the standard, while undergoing any flight test, DRDO always keeps the safety and tranquillity of humans and nature at utmost priority.
"Further, DRDO ensures that its tests or trials do not impact the life of people, especially fishermen and farmers, dwelling in its surroundings," the official added.

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