Lt Gen Harpal Singh takes charges as advisor; attends review meeting

Metro India News | Hyderabad 

The Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel works are set to resume with renewed vigour, as Irrigation and Civil Supplies Minister Capt. N. Uttam Kumar Reddy on Wednesday directed the officials to follow all safety precautions in the execution.

Chairing a high-level review at the Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Telangana Secretariat, the Minister 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. He informed that Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy would conduct a review meeting on the SLBC tunnel issue on Thursday.

Senior officials, contractors, technical experts, and newly appointed Government Advisor Lt Gen Harpal Singh, who assumed charge today, participated in the meeting, which reviewed geological surveys, restoration strategies, and safety measures. 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.

He informed that the 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). 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.