Rourkela, the steel city of
Orissa, is an industrial town situated at the confluence of the
Koel and Lankh rivers and is 470 km to the north-west of
Bhubaneswar.
A sleepy little town of Sundargarh District in the early 50's, Rourkela rose to prominence as a major industrial center after the establishment of the first of the three public sector steel plants to be set up in India in 1955. It is the only steel plant meant primarily for the production of flat products and sheets. The city also contributes to the economy of the state in terms of heavy machinery, fertilizers and chemicals.
Places of tourist interest in the city include Indira Gandhi Park and Hanuman Batika. Rourkela is also a convenient base for tourists venturing to other exciting destinations in the district. Vedvyas (9 km), Mandira Dam (28 km),
Darjeeng (51 km) and Tensa Hill (110 km) constitute enchanting excursions in the vicinity.
Nearest airport is at Ranchi. Rourkela Railway Station is major railhead of Orissa and has direct trains to New Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai, Bokaro, Ahmedabad, Cuttack, Bhubaneswar, Sambalpur and Puri. The National Highway 23 passes through Rourkela.
