Lele, August 22:

Indian Ambassador to Nepal Shiv Shanker Mukherjee today laid the foundation stone for the renovation of the Rajkulo Project under the India-Nepal Economic Cooperation Programme.

Speaking at the function, Mukherjee said thousands of people would benefit from the project. President of the Environment and Heritage Conservation Nepal Sagar Shumsher Rana said the renovation would add irrigation facilities to some 450 hectares of land for the local farmers to produce better agricultural products. The total length of the Rajkulo from the 17th to the mid of 20th century was 11.2 km reaching up to Patan Durbar Square, but now this has shrunk to 5.6km. The project will cover some 8.5 km from the source at Tika Bhairav to Thecho. The project is expected to finish within 18 months at the cost of Rs 29.9 million. Earlier, the Rajkulo was renovated with the Indian aid in 1961.