Science Meets SLBC, Results Will Follow: Uttam
Explaining the scope of the SLBC project, Uttam Kumar Reddy said it was designed to provide irrigation to 3 lakh acres and drinking water to nearly 30 lakh people in Nalgonda and Mahbubnagar districts
HYDERABAD: Irrigation minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy declared that on Monday that Telangana had entered a new phase of science-led irrigation management with the launch of the helicopter-borne VTEM Plus electromagnetic survey for the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel project. He said the survey will provide precise underground data to safely complete the remaining work within two years and deliver water to millions of people across Nalgonda and Mahbubnagar districts.
Uttam Kumar Reddy was speaking to mediapersons at Mannevaripalle in Achampet mandal of Nagarkurnool district after Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy formally launched the survey on Monday.
Explaining the scope of the SLBC project, Uttam Kumar Reddy said it was designed to provide irrigation to 3 lakh acres and drinking water to nearly 30 lakh people in Nalgonda and Mahbubnagar districts.
Uttam Kumar Reddy said the tunnel spanned about 43 kilometres, of which 9.8 kilometres still remain to be dug following the February collapse in the inlet section of the tunnel in Nagarkurnool district. “This survey marks the starting point of a renewed scientific approach. With accurate geological mapping, we will ensure safe and timely completion of the pending work within two years,” he said.
The geomagnetic survey, he said, will be able to ‘see’ to a depth of up to 1,000 metres and NGRI (National Geophysical Research Institute) scientists will help prepare accurate maps from the survey data. A large transmitter loop suspended 100-150 feet beneath the helicopter emits electromagnetic pulses into the ground, while sensors inside the helicopter record reflections received from the ground that reveal variations in rock structure, water flow and mineral composition.
“The data will allow us to pinpoint fault zones, shear planes and underground water pockets with high accuracy,” he said. The helicopter will fly in straight, parallel paths along the entire 44-kilometre existing alignment of the tunnel. “The combination of aerial precision and scientific analysis will give a complete picture of subsurface conditions and guarantee the safety of future tunnelling,” he explained.
NGRI Director Dr Prakash Kumar stated that the institute’s data would also assist in groundwater management and mineral exploration, supporting sustainable development beyond the SLBC project itself.
“The SLBC project now integrates modern survey tools, advanced tunnelling technologies and military-grade engineering expertise. It is a model of how science, governance and accountability can work together in public infrastructure,” Uttam Kumar Reddy said.
