- Chief Minister vows to finish world’s largest SLBC tunnel in Nagarkurnool
- Revanth Reddy criticizes BRS for delays, pledges support for affected villages
Nagarkurnool/Hyderabad, Nov 3 (Maxim News): Chief Minister Revanth Reddy reaffirmed his government’s commitment to completing the long-pending SLBC Tunnel Project—touted as the world’s largest 40 km underground tunnel—during the launch of an Aerial Electromagnetic Survey at Mannevari Palli in Nagarkurnool district. He said that this historic irrigation project would revolutionize water supply in Telangana’s drought-prone areas once completed.
The Chief Minister stated that the government will ensure fair compensation and address the grievances of dwellers from the submerged habitations of Marlapadu, Keshya Tanda, and Nakkalagandi. Estimated at Rs 4,600 crore, the project aims to provide irrigation to 3 lakh acres by lifting 30 TMC of water from the Krishna River. Revanth asserted that completing this infrastructure is not only a developmental priority but also a responsibility toward the farmers of Telangana.
Coming down hard on the previous BRS government, Revanth said, “The SLBC project was sanctioned in 1983. YS Rajasekhara Reddy government started Tunnel-1 and Tunnel-2 works in 2004 at the cost of Rs 1,968 crore. After KCR became CM in 2014, the work stalled. KCR and Harish put the project on hold intentionally and created hurdles to supply water to Nalgonda through gravity.” He added that no tunnel of this scale had been attempted anywhere in the world and criticized the lack of progress under the previous administration.
He pointed out that the project could have been finished for Rs 2,000 crore had the BRS completed it on time, but now the estimated cost has doubled to Rs 4,500 crore. Revanth also accused KCR of neglecting projects on the Krishna River and spending Rs 1.86 lakh crore on contractors in ten years, including Rs 1.05 lakh crore on the Kaleshwaram project. The Chief Minister acknowledged the deaths of eight workers during tunnel construction and said that the government had supported their families.
Revanth further accused the former BRS regime of compromising Telangana’s Krishna water interests. He said, “The then Irrigation Minister T. Harish Rao signed an agreement with Andhra Pradesh to utilise only 299 TMC of water. The Congress government took serious note of it and made strong arguments before the Tribunal to protect the state’s interests.” He warned Harish Rao to refrain from spreading misinformation on water issues. The Chief Minister concluded that people dethroned the BRS government for neglecting the SLBC project, and now the Congress government is determined to complete it on a war footing. (Maxim News)
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