Odisha clears tourism projects around Sambalpur’s Hirakud, rejects one proposal near dam

The Odisha Water Resources Department has granted a series of no-objection certificates (NOCs) that will pave the way for regulated tourism and hospitality development around the Hirakud reservoir in Sambalpur, allowing hotels, cruises, laser-based entertainment zones and camping facilities in designated areas.

While the approvals mark a significant step toward developing Hirakud as a high-value tourism destination, they come with a comprehensive safety framework aimed at safeguarding the country’s longest earthen dam and its catchment area.

According to reports by The New Indian Express, the clearances have been formally communicated to the Tourism Department, making them the first major approvals under the state’s integrated plan to reorganise land use around the reservoir.

Jharsuguda Stretch, Dyke Zones and Burla Powerhouse

The TNIE reports stated that private investment has been permitted on an island within the Jharsuguda expanse of the water body, where hospitality infrastructure, such as resorts and associated facilities, has been proposed.

Another approved site lies behind the Jhankarani temple, where a laser-music attraction has been cleared for development. The department has issued similar permissions for hotels and cruise-linked infrastructure along the reservoir’s right dyke.

A separate cluster near the Burla powerhouse has also been brought under the tourism plan. Here, the Water Resources Department has cleared proposals for visitor amenities, including a plaza, retail spaces and a museum intended to document the Hirakud dam’s construction history, its power production, and its role in regional economic development.

However, this project will proceed only after a separate consent from Odisha Hydro Power Corporation Ltd (OHPC), which owns and administers the powerhouse premises.

Tourism access has additionally been approved in limited downstream stretches, up to 600 metres below the main dam spillway and 550 metres below the left dyke. A visitor plaza at Champapara Chowk on the left dyke has been included under the same conditional elevation rule.

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One Rejection Following Safety Assessment

The clearances are accompanied by a detailed safeguard framework comprising 26 mandatory conditions, which apply to every project irrespective of investor category.

These include prohibitions on using the dam-top roadway for commercial access, restrictions on loud or water-polluting activities, and strict compliance with guidelines issued by the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) and international Ramsar environmental protections.

One proposal, involving land at Chandli Dunguri near Ashoka Nivas, has been rejected after technical assessment teams concluded that planned construction in the area posed potential risks to the Hirakud dam structure.