Archive · 5 Oct 2026
Major Geological Hurdle Cleared as SLBC Tunnel Construction Advances
Workers building the Srisailam Left Bank Canal tunnel have passed through a difficult area of unstable rock.
Officials say they excavated about 700 metres in five to six months.
The main tunnel is 43.968 kilometres long and is about 79% complete.
Workers are using equipment and safety measures to keep excavation moving.
The work currently advances about seven to eight metres each day.
Officials hope to make each construction cycle shorter.
The tunnel is planned to carry more than 30 TMC of water to upland areas.
The minister said Tunnel 1 could break through in May or June 2028, while lining work has restarted on Tunnel 2.
Excavation on the Srisailam Left Bank Canal tunnel passed an unstable shear zone, Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy said.
Officials reported about 700 metres of excavation over five to six months: 450 metres from the outlet and 250 metres from the inlet.
The 43.968-km main tunnel is about 79% complete, with 9.1 km remaining.
Excavation averages seven to eight metres a day, and officials expect construction cycles to shorten from 20–24 hours to 10 hours.
Uttam said Tunnel 1 could break through by May–June 2028; work has resumed on lining the 7.1-km Tunnel 2.
- Who
- Irrigation and Civil Supplies Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy, project officials, elected representatives, and Indian Army tunnel expert Col Parikshit Mehra.
- What
- Excavation on the Srisailam Left Bank Canal tunnel passed an unstable geological zone, and officials reviewed construction progress.
- When
- The review and announcement took place on Sunday; Tunnel 1's breakthrough is projected for May–June 2028.
- Where
- The Srisailam Left Bank Canal tunnel project in Telangana; the review concerned projects in erstwhile Nalgonda district.
- Why
- The tunnel is expected to deliver more than 30 TMC of water to upland areas.
- Main tunnel length
- 43.968 km
- Main tunnel progress
- Approximately 79% complete, with 9.1 km remaining
- Recent excavation
- About 700 metres over five to six months: 450 metres from the outlet and 250 metres from the inlet
- Current excavation rate
- An average of seven to eight metres daily
- Construction cycle
- Reduced from 48 hours to 20–24 hours; officials expect it to reach 10 hours from late October or early November
- Tunnel 1 projected breakthrough
- May–June 2028
- Tunnel 2
- 7.1 km long; lining work has resumed after a prolonged interruption