Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy Reviews SLBC Progress

Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy convened a review meeting at the Secretariat to assess the progress of the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) works. He held discussions with Government Advisor Adityanath Das, Engineer-in-Chief Amjad Hussain, and other officials.

The Minister directed that work should be resumed immediately and on a war footing. He emphasised the use of modern technology to ensure smooth tunnel excavation. Tunneling will now employ state-of-the-art methods, replacing the previously used Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM).

Officials reported that an electromagnetic survey, providing data on the remaining 9.8 kilometres of tunnel, has been completed. A support system has also been established to monitor underground conditions continuously.

Uttam Kumar Reddy highlighted that the Congress government considers the completion of the SLBC, the world's longest tunnel, a matter of great pride. He announced that field staff working on the project would receive a 25 per cent increase in salary.

The Minister attributed delays to the ten-year rule of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) and pledged that completing the project would make Nalgonda fertile and help eradicate fluorosis permanently