Mandira Dam

Mandira Dam is a reservoir dam built across the Sankh River near Kansbahal in Sundargarh district, Odisha, about 28 km from Rourkela. Constructed between 1957 and 1959 to supply water to the Rourkela Steel Plant, it forms a large reservoir surrounded by forested hills. The dam is notable for its engineering, scenic reservoir views, and role as a popular picnic and sightseeing spot for visitors from Rourkela and Sundargarh.

Visitors can expect a large dam structure across the Sankh River with a vast reservoir, earthen and masonry embankments, and panoramic views of water and surrounding green hills and forests. The site offers open viewpoints along the dam, reservoir shoreline areas for sightseeing and photography, and a calm natural environment. Facilities are basic and the area is primarily for day visits, picnics and nature observation.

Mandira Dam was constructed between 1957 and 1959 across the Sankh River to provide water supply for the Rourkela Steel Plant, established with German collaboration as one of India's first integrated steel plants in the post-independence period. The dam and its reservoir were developed as a dedicated water source for industrial use and remain integral to the plant's water system.