Mandira Dam Rourkela ll Beautiful picnic spot of Sundargarh Rourkela ll

Mandira dam is located near Kansbahal in Sundergarh district, Odisha, India. It is built across Sankh River, located 16 km upstream from Mandira. The water from the dam is used for Rourkela Steel Plant. Construction of the dam began after 1957. The dam displaced 2400 families and only 843 were resettled.

Mandira dam has been constructed by Hirakud Project Authority during 1957 – 1959 across river Sankh, a tributary of the Brahmani River at Lat. 220 16′ N & Long. 840 40′ E. The earth dam is a zoned embankment of 426.72 m length with gate-controlled spillway on right saddle. Maximum height of earth dam is 35.38 m from the deepest foundation level. The dam is exclusively meant for the purpose of storing water for supply to the Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) located about 24 km downstream in river course. A regulated supply of water of 100 cusecs is being released through an outlet sluice of size 8’ X 8’. A weir is constructed across the river Brahmani near Rourkela and water is being pumped out from the pond to plant area. The total length of its spillway is 243.14m with 11 nos. of radial gates of size 15.5 x 6.1m each.

The Steel Authority of India (SAIL) constructed a dam for the water supply to the Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) during the early 1950’s. The dam was built on the river Shankha near Rourkela, Orissa. This dam was conceptualized along with the Rourkela Steel Plant.

The reservoir offers boating facilities for tourists and the nearest railway station is located in Kansbahal on the Howrah-Mumbai main line of South Eastern Railway. Rourkela is the closest junction station. The dam can be reached from Kansbahal and Rourkela by two wheeler, private cars, taxis, auto rickshaws and irregular bus service.