Rourkela is a planned city in the northern Sundargarh district of Odisha, India. It is the third largest urban agglomeration in Odisha after Bhubaneswar and Cuttack. It is located about 328 kilometers (204 mi) west of the capital Bhubaneswar, and is surrounded by a range of hills and surrounded by the Koel, Sankha and Brahmani rivers. The city is also popularly known as Ispat Nagar and Steel City of Odisha. One of the largest integrated steel plants set up in collaboration with Germany, known as Rourkela Steel Plant, by Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL). It also has one of the leading technical institutes at the national level known as National Institutes of Technology (NIT Rourkela). Rourkela Day is celebrated on March 3 every year.
The city was selected on September 20, 2016 as a smart city in the third phase of the National Smart Cities Mission, which aims to stimulate economic growth and improve the quality of life of people by enabling the development of the local area. Rourkela has been declared the fastest moving city in India (2-10 Lakh Eastern Zone). Rourkela is the third largest city in the state of Odisha and is classified as Tier 2 city.
