Irrigation Dept. Teams Up with Army Experts to Resume SLBC Tunnel Work

Quick Summary

• The Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel project in Telangana, halted due to a roof collapse on February 22 that buried eight workers alive near Domalapenta, will resume soon.
• Excavation for the remaining 10 km of the 43.931 km long tunnel will proceed with advanced techniques such as electromagnetic surveys by NGRI and GSI, as well as aerial LiDAR surveys.
• SLBC is considered vital for Southern Telangana’s water needs; completion has been declared a top priority by Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy.
• Technical experts like Col. Parikshit Mehra and Gen. harpal Singh are being brought in to address challenges and enhance execution speed.
• De-siltation works across Krishna and Godavari river basins are underway to restore water storage capacities affected by sediment accumulation.

Indian opinion Analysis

The SLBC project’s resumption signals renewed urgency from authorities towards addressing Southern Telangana’s critical irrigation needs while drawing heavily on advanced technologies and expertise. the deployment of prominent technical figures like Col.Mehra reflects attempts to overcome persistent engineering challenges tied to complex underground tunneling projects.

However, the tragic incident earlier this year underscores risks associated with large-scale infrastructure projects involving tunneling machinery failures-a concern requiring stringent safety frameworks before proceeding with further work at depth.

Simultaneously occurring, efforts toward de-siltation point toward proactive measures aimed at enhancing regional water management amidst growing sediment-related issues in major basins like Krishna-Godavari-a welcome approach if executed efficiently but demanding sustained oversight.

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