Telangana to Deploy Army Engineers on SLBC Tunnel and Kaleshwaram Barrage Works
Telangana will take three Indian Army Corps of Engineers officers on deputation to supervise SLBC tunnel excavation and Kaleshwaram barrage rehabilitation.
The Telangana government has decided to bring in Indian Army officers on deputation to oversee excavation of the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel and the rehabilitation of the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project barrages, in a bid to speed up execution while safeguarding quality and safety.
Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy met Chief of Army Staff General Dhiraj Seth at his official residence in New Delhi and sought the deputation of at least three additional officers from the Army's Corps of Engineers. The Army Chief responded positively to the request.
The Military Secretary's Branch of the Integrated Headquarters of the Ministry of Defence has offered three officers for the state government to select: Lt. Col. Satyadev Singh, Lt. Col. Ranjit A. Menon and Lt. Col. H. V. Bhalla. Telangana is expected to take all three on deputation and assign them to its most technically demanding irrigation projects.
Under the proposed deployment, one officer will supervise operations at the SLBC tunnel's two excavation fronts, including work inside the tunnel near the excavation faces. The other two will handle repair and rehabilitation work at the Medigadda, Annaram and Sundilla barrages.
The minister cited the technical complexity and strategic importance of both the tunnel and the barrage repairs, and said military officers bring technical competence together with leadership, accountability and a mission-oriented approach. He added that the decision drew on the state's experience of working with Col. Parikshit Mehra, who is already associated with supervision of the SLBC tunnel work.
The SLBC tunnel ranks among India's longest and most technically challenging irrigation tunnels. Roughly 35 km of the approximately 44-km tunnel has been completed, with June 2028 set as the target for finishing the remainder. Advanced geophysical investigations, reinforced ventilation and safety systems, continuous documentation and strict field-level supervision are being built into the execution plan.
On the Kaleshwaram front, the government is pursuing scientific rehabilitation of the three barrages. Investigations recommended by the National Dam Safety Authority, covering soil, concrete and foundation tests, are nearing completion. IIT Bombay and AFRY India are reviewing the findings and preparing final designs for the structural interventions required.