Revanth launches Aerial Electromagnetic Survey for World’s Longest SLBC Tunnel Project

Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, on Monday, launched the Aerial Electromagnetic Survey for the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel works at Mannevari Palli in Achampeta mandal of Nagarkurnool district. The CM reiterated the government’s commitment to complete the world’s largest 40-kilometre-long SLBC tunnel project and assured that the grievances of residents in submerged habitations — Marlapadu, Keshya Tanda and Nakkalagandi — would be addressed with adequate compensation.

The SLBC project, estimated to cost ₹4,600 crore, aims to lift 30 TMC of water from the Krishna River to irrigate over 3 lakh acres. The Chief Minister stated that the Congress government would execute the project on a war footing and ensure its completion without delay.

Slamming the previous BRS government for stalling the project for political reasons, the CM said that the KCR administration had not even completed 10 km of the tunnel works during its 10-year rule. “The project was sanctioned in 1983 and the late YS Rajasekhara Reddy government began the tunnel works in 2004 at a cost of ₹1,968 crore. However, after 2014, KCR and Harish Rao deliberately neglected the project to deny Nalgonda its due water through gravity,” he said.

The CM remarked that had the previous government completed the works, the total cost would have remained around ₹2,000 crore, but the delay has now escalated it to ₹4,600 crore. He criticized the BRS government for spending ₹1.86 lakh crore on contractors in 10 years, including ₹1.05 lakh crore on the Kaleshwaram project, while ignoring vital Krishna River projects.

Revanth Reddy noted that Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy was coordinating with Army engineering experts to ensure smooth completion of the SLBC tunnel works. He also expressed sorrow over the deaths of eight workers during excavation and assured continued support to their families.

Condemning the BRS government’s “compromise” on Krishna water sharing, the CM alleged that former minister T. Harish Rao signed an agreement limiting Telangana’s use to 299 TMC. The Congress government, he said, is presenting strong arguments before the Tribunal to safeguard Telangana’s rightful share.

The aerial electromagnetic survey, conducted under the supervision of the National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI), will capture geological data up to a depth of 1,000 meters. The CM, accompanied by Ministers Uttam Kumar Reddy and Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, also inspected and flagged off the helicopter used for the survey.

Revanth Reddy stressed that people had rejected the BRS government for its failure on the SLBC project, and his government would not rest until the long-pending dream of irrigating southern Telangana was fulfilled.