Bhubaneswar, Dec 29: The National River Conservation Directorate (NRCD) will extend assistance to the Orissa government for the renovation of the historic Bindusagar tank here.

NRCD has decided to provide 70 per cent of the total cost, which will be about Rs 7 crore. The government will arrange for the remaining funds.

Senior officials of the state culture and urban development departments and the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) recently met here to discuss the project, set to commence soon.

The Bindusagar tank was once bordered by over 7,000 temples, all built in the traditional Oriya style. Of these, only 500 have survived.

The tank, located just north of Lingaraj temple, is believed to contain water from every holy stream and pool in India.

The logistics are in place and it is up to the government to kick off the project. The project is expected to take 18 months to be completed. The government has already released Rs 50 lakh in favour of the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) for the renovation project. BMC will also contribute the same amount.

The Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar, has been appointed the project manager. The B-school will also prepare the project report. The Bhubaneswar Development Authority will be a partner in the project.