Govt says Rs.4637 crore released for SLBC tunnel project

The tunnel would operate by gravity, eliminating the lifting costs, which could help save up to Rs.200 crore annually, said N Uttam Kumar Reddy

Hyderabad: The State government on Wednesday claimed to have released Rs 4,637 crore for the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel project by setting a 14-month deadline to the Irrigation Department for its completion.

This was announced by Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy at a review meeting in Jala Soudha. He mentioned that the tunnel would operate by gravity, eliminating the lifting costs, which could help save up to Rs.200 crore annually.

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This project would benefit the fluoride-affected pockets in the region. The Minister stated that the SLBC high-level canal lining works were nearing completion at a cost of Rs.440 crore, which would provide irrigation to nearly four lakh acres.

He said the Dindi project would provide irrigation facilities to 3.41 lakh acres in the fluoride-affected and drought-prone areas of Nalgonda district, along with drinking water facilities to 200 villages. Similarly, the Nakkalagandi project was also progressing rapidly.