<p>Hyderabad: Nearly after six months the works on, Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) project are set to resume. </p><p>After the partial roof collapse in February at the SLBC tunnel in Telangana's Nagarkurnool district, the state government in April had appointed an 11-member multi disciplinary technical committee to conclude rescue operations.</p>.SLBC tunnel tragedy: Telangana govt forms technical committee to conclude rescue ops.<p>Of the eight workers trapped, only two bodies have been retrieved so far. Now the Telangana government has decided to resume work. State government has opted for a heli-borne survey, one of the latest technologies in the world, which will be carried out by the National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI). </p><p>The survey will identify shear zones, weak rock formations, and fault lines along the remaining alignment, allowing engineers to anticipate risks and prepare corrective measures.</p><p>Irrigation and Civil Supplies Minister Capt N Uttam Kumar Reddy who chaired a high-level review on Wednesday said the project must move strictly as per the revised plan and financial estimates, with a target of 175 metres of tunnelling per month and overall completion by January 2028.</p><p>Government has recently appointed Lt Gen Harpal Singh, who had earlier worked in Border Roads Organisation (BRO) as advisor to oversee the construction of SLBC tunnel project. He assumed charge recently and drawing from his experience with the Atal Tunnel, Lt Gen Singh stressed that ventilation, redundant systems, and documentation of methodology were vital for deep tunnelling works. </p><p>He also insisted on training young engineers to build capacity within Telangana. Officials confirmed that about 35 km of the 44 km tunnel has already been completed, leaving a balance of nine kilometres to be executed under new technical protocols.</p><p>The minister stressed that the methodology, number of passes, and monitoring systems must be clearly defined and documented so that there is complete clarity before work recommence. “We must be 99 percent sure of what we will encounter. Crisis management cannot be the approach; preparedness is the only option,” Uttam Kumar Reddy said.</p><p>The technical sub-committee has recommended the use of modern technologies and machinery for the completion of the remaining nine kilometres of the tunnel.</p><p>Tunnelling has already progressed 21 km from one end and 14 km from the other, with the balance stretch requiring more intensive oversight. It was resolved that works would be carried out in three regulated shifts, as it takes nearly 90 minutes to reach the excavation face. </p><p>Further, junior engineers would be deployed in every shift, maintaining written records of daily progress. A team of young engineers would be formed, trained, and incentivised to develop long-term expertise in tunnel construction. Third-party quality assurance would be strengthened by documenting each shift’s progress.</p><p>“The cost and time framework is final. Within this framework you must deliver,” Uttam Kumar Reddy told contractors.</p><p><br>Government set a target of January 2028 for tunnel breakthrough. Excavation is to proceed at 175 metres per month from both ends, with a daily target of seven metres. Technical experts said the remaining geological conditions were favourable, with bolt supports required only 15–20 metres behind the excavation face.</p> <p>Without the SLBC tunnel, the Telangana Government is currently forced to pump water at a cost of Rs. 500–550 crore annually in electricity bills. In addition, the electric motors used for pumping have completed nearly 20 years of service and are due for replacement at a huge cost.</p> <p>The SLBC tunnel, once operational, will have a capacity of 0.3 TMC per day, allowing water flow for about 90 days and meet the water needs of erstwhile Nalgonda and Mahabubnagar districts. The tunnel can start functioning from the 824 ft level, while Andhra Pradesh currently draws water from Pothireddypadu at the 840 ft level.</p> <p>It has also been decided that expert tunnel engineers and safety engineers will be deployed inside the tunnel on a three-shift basis to ensure uninterrupted monitoring and adherence to safety standards.</p>
<p>Hyderabad: Nearly after six months the works on, Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) project are set to resume. </p><p>After the partial roof collapse in February at the SLBC tunnel in Telangana's Nagarkurnool district, the state government in April had appointed an 11-member multi disciplinary technical committee to conclude rescue operations.</p>.SLBC tunnel tragedy: Telangana govt forms technical committee to conclude rescue ops.<p>Of the eight workers trapped, only two bodies have been retrieved so far. Now the Telangana government has decided to resume work. State government has opted for a heli-borne survey, one of the latest technologies in the world, which will be carried out by the National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI). </p><p>The survey will identify shear zones, weak rock formations, and fault lines along the remaining alignment, allowing engineers to anticipate risks and prepare corrective measures.</p><p>Irrigation and Civil Supplies Minister Capt N Uttam Kumar Reddy who chaired a high-level review on Wednesday said the project must move strictly as per the revised plan and financial estimates, with a target of 175 metres of tunnelling per month and overall completion by January 2028.</p><p>Government has recently appointed Lt Gen Harpal Singh, who had earlier worked in Border Roads Organisation (BRO) as advisor to oversee the construction of SLBC tunnel project. He assumed charge recently and drawing from his experience with the Atal Tunnel, Lt Gen Singh stressed that ventilation, redundant systems, and documentation of methodology were vital for deep tunnelling works. </p><p>He also insisted on training young engineers to build capacity within Telangana. Officials confirmed that about 35 km of the 44 km tunnel has already been completed, leaving a balance of nine kilometres to be executed under new technical protocols.</p><p>The minister stressed that the methodology, number of passes, and monitoring systems must be clearly defined and documented so that there is complete clarity before work recommence. “We must be 99 percent sure of what we will encounter. Crisis management cannot be the approach; preparedness is the only option,” Uttam Kumar Reddy said.</p><p>The technical sub-committee has recommended the use of modern technologies and machinery for the completion of the remaining nine kilometres of the tunnel.</p><p>Tunnelling has already progressed 21 km from one end and 14 km from the other, with the balance stretch requiring more intensive oversight. It was resolved that works would be carried out in three regulated shifts, as it takes nearly 90 minutes to reach the excavation face. </p><p>Further, junior engineers would be deployed in every shift, maintaining written records of daily progress. A team of young engineers would be formed, trained, and incentivised to develop long-term expertise in tunnel construction. Third-party quality assurance would be strengthened by documenting each shift’s progress.</p><p>“The cost and time framework is final. Within this framework you must deliver,” Uttam Kumar Reddy told contractors.</p><p><br>Government set a target of January 2028 for tunnel breakthrough. Excavation is to proceed at 175 metres per month from both ends, with a daily target of seven metres. Technical experts said the remaining geological conditions were favourable, with bolt supports required only 15–20 metres behind the excavation face.</p> <p>Without the SLBC tunnel, the Telangana Government is currently forced to pump water at a cost of Rs. 500–550 crore annually in electricity bills. In addition, the electric motors used for pumping have completed nearly 20 years of service and are due for replacement at a huge cost.</p> <p>The SLBC tunnel, once operational, will have a capacity of 0.3 TMC per day, allowing water flow for about 90 days and meet the water needs of erstwhile Nalgonda and Mahabubnagar districts. The tunnel can start functioning from the 824 ft level, while Andhra Pradesh currently draws water from Pothireddypadu at the 840 ft level.</p> <p>It has also been decided that expert tunnel engineers and safety engineers will be deployed inside the tunnel on a three-shift basis to ensure uninterrupted monitoring and adherence to safety standards.</p>