Sambalpur: Sambalpur to Become Tourism Hub; Massive Statue of Veer Surendra Sai to be Installed, 4 Locations Identified for the Statue
Sambalpur: The district administration has begun preparing a master plan to boost tourism in Sambalpur. A grand statue of freedom fighter Veer Surendra Sai will be installed, modeled after the Statue of Unity. Officials have initially identified four possible locations for the statue: two near Hirakud Dam, one in Burla, and one between Laxmidunguri and Mahanadi riverbanks. The final site selection will determine the size and height of the statue, based on environmental suitability.
Ongoing Planning and Reviews
Since January 2025, the master plan has been under development. Various departments and senior officials have already held multiple review meetings to finalize the details. Notably, on January 22, Gujarat’s Additional Chief Secretary and key planner of the Statue of Unity project, Mukesh Puri, along with V. Vidyapati, Secretary of the Union Tourism Department, visited Sambalpur. They discussed the project and inspected the proposed statue locations.
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Sambalpur as a Tourism Hub
Alongside the statue, authorities plan to transform Sambalpur into a major tourist destination. They aim to improve other historical and religious sites across the district. According to the Tourism Department, this initiative is expected to attract more domestic and foreign tourists.
Rising Foreign Tourist Footfall
Data shows a steady increase in foreign tourist visits:
- In 2021, not a single foreign tourist visited Sambalpur.
- In 2022, 292 foreign tourists visited Sambalpur city, and 11 visited Hirakud.
- In 2023, the number rose significantly to 812 in Sambalpur alone.
- In 2024, 585 visited Sambalpur, 171 visited Hirakud, 20 went to Ushakothi, and 47 visited Ghanteswari temple in Chipilima.
The master plan, if implemented effectively, is expected to transform Sambalpur into a culturally vibrant and historically rich tourism hotspot. Locals and intellectuals believe this will help preserve the legacy of Veer Surendra Sai while also boosting the regional economy through increased tourism.
