The works, which were stalled following a tunnel roof collapse on February 22 last year, would now restart using advanced tunnelling methodologies.
| Photo Credit: File Photo
The Telangana government has decided to resume works on the long-pending Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel with Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy announcing a renewed push to complete the ambitious project within stipulated timelines.
Chairing a high-level review meeting with senior officials of the Irrigation Department at his Secretariat chambers on Sunday, the Minister said the works, which were stalled following a tunnel roof collapse on February 22 last year, would now restart using advanced tunnelling methodologies. The SLBC tunnel, a key component of the Alimineti Madhava Reddy Project, was launched in 1983.
In view of complex geological conditions, the government has decided to abandon the Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) method and adopt advanced tunnelling techniques. The Minister said the project site has been fully cleared, including the removal of the TBM from the outlet side.
This decision follows a helicopter-borne VTEM Plus Magnetic Geophysical Survey conducted by scientists from the National Geophysical Research Institute, which has provided detailed data on subsurface rock conditions.
Based on the survey findings, the government plans to install advance warning systems for weak rock zones and implement 3D monitoring to strengthen safety and structural support during excavation. JP Infra will continue as the executing agency, while an escrow account has been set up to ensure secure, project-specific financial management.
Spanning nearly 44 km with access only from the Srisailam inlet and the Devarkonda outlet, the SLBC tunnel is set to become the world’s longest tunnel excavated without intermediate shafts. Once completed, it is expected to irrigate about three lakh acres in drought-prone regions of Telangana and provide drinking water to fluoride-affected villages.
Officials informed the Minister that excavation has, so far, reached 13.94 km from the inlet side and 20.4 km from the outlet, leaving around 9.8 km to be completed. The Minister directed that construction should proceed simultaneously from both ends to accelerate progress.
Mr.Uttam Kumar Reddy instructed Principal Secretary Rahul Bojja and other officials to clear all pending payments to the contractor without delay. The works will be carried out round the clock in three shifts, with senior officials mandated to remain on-site for swift decision-making.
To boost staff morale, the Minister announced a 25% salary hike for project employees below the rank of Executive Engineer.
The review meeting was attended by Principal Secretary Rahul Bojja, tunnel expert Colonel Parikshit Mehra, Engineer-in-Chief Amjad Hussain and Irrigation Adviser Haripal Singh.
Published – January 11, 2026 07:19 pm IST
