India, Nov. 21 -- The Hirakud Dam, built across the Mahanadi in Odisha's Sambalpur district, is a vital national asset for irrigation, power generation and flood control. Considering its strategic importance, the government has always been concerned about the safety and security of the areas around it and allows only restricted movement of tourists.

However, the vast reservoir of the dam and the areas surrounding it may now witness a spate of tourism development and private business investments. The water resources department of the Government of Odisha has issued "site specific" no objection certificates (NOCs) sought by the tourism department for development of "niche tourism", as part of its integrated tourism master plan. The plan in...