Singareni Collieries Company Limited Mine Safety Engineers, Two More From Army to Join SLBC Tunneling Work
He said the state government has requisitioned two more Army engineers with extensive tunneling experience for the project.
Hyderabad:Irrigation minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy on Saturday said excavation work in the outlet section of the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel near Devarakonda was making progress, with engineers digging through 20 metres of rock in the last one week.
The minister said the government was committed to complete the excavation from both the outlet and the inlet ends in Nagarkurnool district next to the Srisailam reservoir by the end of 2027 and get the entire 44 km long tunnel project ready for use by June 2028.
He said the state government has requisitioned two more Army engineers with extensive tunneling experience for the project. While Col Parikshit Mehra from the Border Roads Organisation is already working with the irrigation department, the two additional engineers will be stationed at the Devarakonda and Nagarkurnool ends of the tunnel.
“We have also sought deployment of two mining safety experts from Singareni collieries, and there will also be a third party quality control overseer to ensure all work is of top notch quality. The efforts are to not just complete the rest of the work in time, but give top priority to safety,” Uttam Kumar Reddy told Deccan Chronicle.
The minister, who chaired a meeting at the Secretariat to review ongoing and figure work plans at the tunnel the two ends of the tunnel, directed irrigation department officials to ensure round-the-clock work with strict safety and work protocols.
At the Devarakonda end, so far seven excavation cycles using the drill and blast method have been successfully completed. The implementation agency has deployed specialized equipment to address anticipated ventilation challenges deep inside the tunnel, as the blasting requires evacuation of smoke and dust. Work from the inlet side of the tunnel, which saw an accident last year February, will also commence soon, with preparations, including a 20-meter open cut and additional safety installations already underway, the minister said.
