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

Chairing a high-level review meet here, 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 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.

The Minister instructed officials to finalise timelines for the survey without further delay. He stressed that the methodology, number of passes, and monitoring systems must be clearly defined and documented so that there is complete clarity before works recommence. “We must be 99 percent sure of what we will encounter. Crisis management cannot be the approach; preparedness is the only option,” Uttam Kumar Reddy said.

The technical sub-committee has recommended the use of modern technologies and machinery for the completion of the remaining nine kilometres of the tunnel.

Lt Gen Harpal Singh, drawing from his experience with the Atal Tunnel, stressed that ventilation, redundant systems, and documentation of methodology were vital for deep tunnelling works. He also insisted on training young engineers to build capacity within Telangana.

Officials reported that tunnelling has already progressed 21 km from one end and 14 km from the other, with the balance stretch requiring more intensive oversight. It was resolved that works would be carried out in three regulated shifts, as it takes nearly 90 minutes to reach the excavation face.

Further, junior engineers would be deployed in every shift, maintaining written records of daily progress. A team of young engineers would be formed, trained, and incentivised to develop long-term expertise in tunnel construction. Third-party quality assurance would be strengthened by documenting each shift’s progress.