Telangana Govt to Resume SLBC Project Works with Advanced Technology

A portion of the project on the Krishna river in Nagarkurnool district collapsed in February last year. The debris in the tunnel following the collapse, including the Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM), have been removed, official sources said on Monday.

"Some machinery has already been moved to the location to restart the work. Some more machinery is expected to be deployed soon. Experts are being consulted on the safety measures to be taken," the sources told PTI. State Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy on Sunday held a review with officials on resuming the project works.

The government has now decided to abandon the TBM method used earlier as it was found to be ineffective in view of the challenging geological conditions and adopt advanced technology to carry out the work.

In November last year, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy launched the Aerial Electromagnetic Survey for the SLBC tunnel works. The survey has provided crucial data on the rock conditions.

Based on the survey, the government plans to implement 3D monitoring to strengthen safety and structural support and to estimate possible dangers during excavation, the sources said. The CM had said the state government would complete the pending works of the project.

The project with a 42 km-long-tunnel, upon its completion, would be the longest tunnel project in the world and lead to transfer of water without much expenditure, he said. The estimates of the project rose to Rs 4,600 crores with only an increase of Rs 2,600 crore in 20 years. The tender was earlier called for Rs 2,000 crore.

Of the 42 kms of tunnel work, about 30 kms was completed. The tunnel project aims to provide irrigation facilities in the drought-prone areas of Nalgonda district for three lakh acres, besides supplying drinking water to the fluoride-affected villages en route.