Will overcome setbacks & complete world’s largest tunnel, says Revanth

Hyderabad: Once the rescue operations in the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel are complete, the state govt will resume work to complete this world's largest tunnel project. Experts suggest work can be carried forward by drilling two narrow tunnels of 5 metres each on the left and right sides of the tunnel boring machine where the collapse occurred, and aligning the narrow tunnels to the main alignment in front of the machine.
After a review meeting with experts from the Army, Navy, other specialised agencies in rescue operations, and representatives of Jaiprakash Associates and Robbins Company, chief minster A Revanth Reddy said the Congress govt is committed to completing the project. Experts told him that the tunnel boring machine may have to be buried at the collapse site if efforts to repair and pull it back out of the tunnel fail. Two vents (tunnels) of about 5 metres each would be drilled to join them into the original main alignment ahead of the machine.
CM Revanth and irrigation minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy told them that there would be "no break" until the rescue operation is completed and asked the experts to submit a report on what should be done to take the project forward and complete it. They also inquired about what should be done to avoid such an accident in the future.
"If any of the 11 expert rescue operation agencies leave this site now, it will be difficult to pull them to the spot again. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also keen to know the progress of the rescue operations, and I have explained to him twice, once when he called over the phone and another when I met him. If needed, we can seek more help, including technical and whatever is needed, to continue rescue operations," Revanth said.
The CM said the SLBC tunnel construction began in 2005-06. A 32-kilometre tunnel was finished by the time Telangana state was formed in 2014. However, the previous BRS govt ignored the SLBC for 10 years. Due to the company's failure to pay electricity bills, the electrical supply was cut off. The tunnel's construction has been halted for the past decade as a result. "The Congress govt paid the bills left unpaid by the previous govt and resumed work after consulting all the concerned expert agencies," he said.
There is another tunnel boring machine that is drilling the tunnel from the other end of the project. Once work resumes at this site, it will be expedited from both ends. The tunnel project is aimed at drawing 30 tmc ft of water through gravity to irrigate lakhs of acres and for drinking water supply to fluoride-hit Nalgonda and a few other districts, the CM said.
The work was supposed to be completed by 2010, but it got delayed due to geological challenges, financial constraints, and other issues. The project has been extended six times so far. The current target is to complete it between June and Dec 2026.
Continuous water flow inside the tunnel is bringing sludge with it and impeding the pace of rescue operations. The geological survey team is working on identifying the source of water flows and has zeroed in on Mallela Theertham, Usuruvagu, and Malle Vagu (canals) in the upstream. They are studying the possibility of either blocking or diverting water flow from the upstream, even as cutting of tunnel boring machines and digging inside the tunnel to rescue 8 trapped people are being carried out continuously.