Year after roof collapse killed 8, Telangana to restart work at SLBC tunnel with ‘advanced methodology’
After the fatal accident, a tunnel boring machine (TBM) was stuck at the outlet of the tunnel. The government said decision has been made to abandon the TBM in favour of more advanced tunnelling methods.
Almost a year after a roof collapse killed eight workers, including engineers, Telangana’s Irrigation Department is getting ready for the resumption of work at the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel.
Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy said on Sunday that work would restart, using “advanced tunnelling methodology”, which is both safe and efficient.
The roof of the tunnel had collapsed on February 22, last year, trapping eight workers, who were later declared dead. A part of the Alimineti Madhava Reddy Project initiated in 1983, the SLBC tunnel spanning 44 kilometres with access from two ends — the Srisailam inlet and Devarkonda outlet — will be the longest tunnel in the world to be excavated without intermediate shifts, the minister said.
The tunnel originates from the left bank of the Srisailam reservoir, and is designed to irrigate 3,00,000 acres in drought-prone regions of Telangana while supplying drinking water to fluoride-affected villages. To date, excavation progress stands at 13.94 km from the inlet side and 20.4 km from the outlet, leaving about 9.8 km remaining, including 9.4 km of actual distance plus contingency. The minister has directed that the work must proceed simultaneously from both ends.
After the fatal accident, a tunnel boring machine (TBM) was stuck at the outlet of the tunnel. The debris have been removed completely, the minister said. He also said that, citing site-specific geological challenges, the decision has been made to abandon the TBM in favour of advanced tunnelling methods. “A helicopter-borne VTEM Plus Magnetic Geophysical Survey, sanctioned by the Telangana government and conducted by leading scientists from the National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI), has provided critical data on rock conditions,” the minister said.
“Additionally, 3D monitoring systems are planned, allowing support structures to be deployed based on geological forecasts,” Reddy added. The aerial electromagnetic survey has provided critical data on rock conditions, enabling the installation of an advance warning system for poor rock zones, the government clarified. At the tunnel, operations will run round-the-clock in three shifts to accelerate progress.
To help boost the morale of workers, a 25% salary hike has been announced for employees below the rank of executive engineer. “This will help towards getting workers to help resume the project,” Uttam Kumar Reddy said. Earlier, Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy had said that December 9, 2027, would be the deadline for the completion of the long-pending SLBC tunnel project. “The SLBC tunnel project is a lifeline for the fluoride-affected Nalgonda district and is important for the entire state,” the CM had said.
Nikhila Henry is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, based in Hyderabad. With a career spanning 17 years, she has established herself as an authoritative voice on South Indian affairs, specialising in the complex intersections of politics, education, and social justice.
Experience & Career: Nikhila commenced her journalism career in 2007 as an education correspondent for The Times of India in Hyderabad,where she gained recognition for her coverage of student politics. Her professional trajectory includes a four-year tenure at The Hindu, where she focused on minority affairs and social welfare. In 2019, she took on a leadership role as the South Bureau Chief for The Quint, where she directed regional coverage across all five South Indian states. Her expansive career also includes a tenure at the BBC in New Delhi and contributions to prestigious international outlets such as The Sunday Times (London) and HuffPost India.
Expertise & Focus Areas
Nikhila’s reportage is marked by a deep-seated understanding of grassroots movements and institutional policy. Her core focus areas include:
Regional Politics: Comprehensive analysis of the socio-political dynamics across South India.
Education & Student Movements: Chronicling the evolution of Indian academics and the rise of youth activism.
Minority Affairs: Rigorous reporting on the welfare, rights, and challenges facing marginalized communities.
National Beat: Elevating regional stories to national prominence through investigative and on-ground reporting.
Authoritativeness & Trust
A respected figure in Indian media, Nikhila is not only a seasoned reporter but also an accomplished author and editor. She authored the critically acclaimed book The Ferment: Youth Unrest in India and edited Caste is Not a Rumour, a collection of writings by Rohith Vemula. Her dual background in daily news reporting and long-form authorship allows her to provide readers with a nuanced, historically-informed perspective on contemporary Indian society.
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