"srisailam-left-bank-canal"

BRS leader T Harish Rao launched a fierce attack on Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, accusing him of corruption, administrative failure and negligence. He blamed the Congress government for the SLBC tunnel collapse, irrigation setbacks and alleged large-scale scams in the State.

Nine months after the collapse of the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel in Nagarkurnool district that killed eight workers, the state government has disbursed Rs 25 lakh ex-gratia to each of the victims’ families. The National Geophysical Research Institute is now completing advanced surveys.

Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy has set a firm deadline of December 9, 2027, for the completion of the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) works, emphasizing that no delays will be tolerated. He directed officials to ensure the completion of the remaining tunnel and instructed JP Associates to expedite the work with the necessary equipment.

Telangana is set to resume work on the SLBC tunnel with help from Indian Army and BRO experts. High-tech surveys using Danish equipment and LiDAR will begin July 12, following a fatal collapse in February that halted the project

The meeting resolved to hold detailed discussions with the committee members within a week to work out a strategy for resuming the pending works

The State government is preparing to obtain forest clearance from the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), as required under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980. Efforts are underway to submit a comprehensive proposal through the State Forest Department to facilitate the process.

Although the original target was to finish the task by April 10, progress has been hindered by slushy conditions due to rising water seepage at the accident site. However, officials remain hopeful that the tunnel will be cleared up to the cave-in point by April 15, as long as operations continue smoothly.

He was responding to a news report in an English daily that disclosed findings from a report titled "Tunnel Seismic Prediction - 303 Plus." Commissioned by Jaiprakash Associates Limited, the company awarded the SLBC tunnel contract in 2005, the report had warned of a potential "fault zone" in the tunnel, indicating a high risk of collapse. It also identified a decline in rock strength in this section and emphasized that the stretch was a water-bearing zone.

The Minister made it clear that there was a 99 per cent chance that those trapped inside were no longer alive. However, he did not completely rule out the possibility of survival.

He said despite warnings about water leakage, workers were pressured to continue works, leading to the disaster.

"I personally visited the site, and in my view, there is absolutely no chance of survival. This is my expectation and opinion, though technical experts may have a different assessment," Jupally Krishna Rao stated at a press conference in Gandhi Bhavan on Friday.

A section of the SLBC tunnel collapsed on February 22, trapping eight workers inside. Around 600 personnel from 12 different departments are engaged in the rescue operations.

Harish Rao along with former Ministers G Jagadish Reddy, S Niranjan Reddy, V Srinivas Goud, former and sitting MLAs along with senior leaders, were on their way to the accident spot, when the police stopped them at a checkpost on the road leading to Domalapenta

Skilled rathole miners courageously entered the tunnel in an effort to rescue the eight trapped workers. They managed to reach the tunnel's zero point but found no sign of the missing workers or engineers. The entire passage, obstructed by debris and waterlogging, was filled with a foul odor, suggesting a potentially grim outcome.

Rescue operations at the Srisailam Left Bank Canal Tunnel project to save the eight workers and engineers trapped at the roof collapse site, are being closely monitored by the Minister for Irrigation, N Uttam Kumar Reddy, and Minister for Excise, Jupally Krishna Rao

The roof collapse occurred at the 14th kilometre of the left-side tunnel, where work had resumed just four days earlier after a prolonged halt. Several workers were inside the tunnel at the time of the incident, with some managing to escape with minor injuries.

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

Briefing media persons after the cabinet meeting, Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy said the SLBC tunneling works would be completed by September 2027

Eleven years have elapsed since Polavaram was cleared but the Centre is yet to implement the Tribunal Award