All Set For Resumption Of SLBC Tunnel Works, Uttam Says There Is No Room For Errors

Hyderabad: The Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel works are set to resume with renewed vigour, as Irrigation and Civil Supplies Minister Capt. N. Uttam Kumar Reddy on Wednesday directed the officials to follow all safety precautions in the execution.

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Chairing a high-level review at the Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Telangana Secretariat, the Minister said the project must move strictly as per the revised plan and financial estimates, with a target of 175 metres of tunnelling per month and overall completion by January 2028. He informed that Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy would conduct a review meeting on the SLBC tunnel issue on Thursday.

Senior officials, contractors, technical experts, and newly appointed Government Advisor Lt Gen Harpal Singh, who assumed charge today, participated in the meeting, which reviewed geological surveys, restoration strategies, and safety measures. Officials confirmed that about 35 km of the 44 km tunnel has already been completed, leaving a balance of nine kilometres to be executed under new technical protocols.

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Latest Technologies Opted

He informed that the State Government has opted for a heli-borne survey, one of the latest technologies in the world, which will be carried out by the National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI). The survey will identify shear zones, weak rock formations, and fault lines along the remaining alignment, allowing engineers to anticipate risks and prepare corrective measures.

The Minister instructed officials to finalise timelines for the survey without further delay. He stressed that the methodology, number of passes, and monitoring systems must be clearly defined and documented so that there is complete clarity before works recommence. “We must be 99 percent sure of what we will encounter. Crisis management cannot be the approach; preparedness is the only option,” Uttam Kumar Reddy said.

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The technical sub-committee has recommended the use of modern technologies and machinery for the completion of the remaining nine kilometres of the tunnel.

Lt Gen Harpal Singh, drawing from his experience with the Atal Tunnel, stressed that ventilation, redundant systems, and documentation of methodology were vital for deep tunnelling works. He also insisted on training young engineers to build capacity within Telangana.

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Officials reported that tunnelling has already progressed 21 km from one end and 14 km from the other, with the balance stretch requiring more intensive oversight. It was resolved that works would be carried out in three regulated shifts, as it takes nearly 90 minutes to reach the excavation face. Further, junior engineers would be deployed in every shift, maintaining written records of daily progress. A team of young engineers would be formed, trained, and incentivised to develop long-term expertise in tunnel construction. Third-party quality assurance would be strengthened by documenting each shift’s progress.

Deadline For Project Completion

Uttam Kumar Reddy maintained that the project must be completed within the sanctioned revised estimates. “The cost and time framework is final. Within this framework you must deliver,” he told contractors.

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The review set a target of January 2028 for tunnel breakthrough. Excavation is to proceed at 175 metres per month from both ends, with a daily target of seven metres. Technical experts said the remaining geological conditions were favourable, with bolt supports required only 15–20 metres behind the excavation face.

“We cannot afford another setback. Every precaution must be doubled, every protocol enforced without compromise,” Uttam Kumar Reddy said.

He reminded officials that irrigation benefits for lakhs of farmers depended on the timely completion of the project.

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State Spending 500 Cr Due To SLBC

Without the SLBC tunnel, the Telangana Government is currently forced to pump water at a cost of Rs. 500–550 crore annually in electricity bills. In addition, the electric motors used for pumping have completed nearly 20 years of service and are due for replacement at a huge cost.

“The SLBC tunnel, once operational, will have a capacity of 0.3 TMC per day, allowing water flow for about 90 days. The tunnel can start functioning from the 824 ft level, while Andhra Pradesh currently draws water from Pothireddypadu at the 840 ft level. Therefore, once the SLBC tunnel begins operations, the scope for Andhra Pradesh illegally drawing water at 840 ft level would be curtailed,” he said.

It has also been decided that expert tunnel engineers and safety engineers will be deployed inside the tunnel on a three-shift basis to ensure uninterrupted monitoring and adherence to safety standards.

With three-fourths of the work already complete, the Minister expressed confidence that the revised plan would see the tunnel finished within the stipulated timeframe. (Maxim News)

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