Hirakud Dam

The Hirakud Dam is an important structure, as well as a popular sightseeing attraction of the Sambalpur District. This dam is built across the River Mahanadi at about 15 km from the city. It was constructed in 1956; and today, it forms the largest earthen dam and the longest dam of world, with a length of 26 km. The main purpose of constructing this dam was to check the massive floods and periodic droughts, along with providing its area with proper drainage facilities.

The dam comprises the biggest artificial lake in Asia, with its reservoir of 743 sq km at full capacity and a shoreline of 640 km. The overall length of the main dam is 4.8 km, which is stretched between Lamdungri Hills on its left and Chandili Dunguri Hills on its right. There are also two observation towers present within the premises of this dam, namely ‘Gandhi Minar’ and ‘Nehru Minar’, that provide a panoramic view of the lake.