Hyderabad: The Telangana government is ready to restart work on the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel. This project paused after eight workers tragically died in a cave-in in February. The government has partnered with the National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI) and Geological Survey of India (GSI) to finish the tunnel.
Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy reviewed the SLBC tunnel project and urged officials to quickly resume the remaining tunnel activities, like drilling and blasting. About 10 kilometers of the tunnel still need to be completed.
Calling the SLBC a vital resource for Telangana, Reddy emphasized its urgent completion. The project will use advanced electromagnetic survey techniques, collaborating with NGRI and GSI. The minister instructed officials to fast-track the aerial LIDAR survey for better planning and execution. He met with NGRI scientists to finalize technical details and insisted on maintaining high standards of quality and speed, regardless of cost.
The meeting introduced Colonel Parikshit Mehra, a renowned tunnel engineering expert, who recently joined the Irrigation Department. The minister is confident that Mehra’s skills will solve technical issues and speed up the SLBC and other tunnel projects. Additionally, General Harpal Singh, former Engineer-in-Chief of the Indian Army, will soon be appointed as Honorary Advisor to enhance the department’s technical and execution capabilities.
The minister also assessed water availability in Telangana’s major reservoirs. He instructed the Irrigation Secretary and Engineer-in-Chief to devise a practical plan for optimal water use during the current Kharif season. This plan must consider current reservoir levels, expected monsoon inflows, and the total irrigable land. Previously, close coordination between the Irrigation and Agriculture departments resulted in a record production of 281 Lakh Metric Tonnes (LMT) of paddy during the Kharif and Yasangi seasons.
