Telangana govt to appoint former Indian Army Engineer-in-Chief as Honorary advisor to strengthen Irrigation Dept. technical capacity
Uttam announced that General Harpal Singh, former Engineer-in-Chief of the Indian Army, would soon be appointed as an Honorary Advisor to strengthen the department's technical capacity and execution capabilities.
The Minister, who conducted an in-depth review of the long-pending Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel works, said that an estimated 4.8 kilometres of tunnel work remains to be completed.
Calling SLBC a crucial lifeline for Telangana, he said its completion must be treated as a top priority and executed with urgency.
SLBC tunnel work is being taken up using the latest electromagnetic survey technology in collaboration with the National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI) and the Geological Survey of India (GSI), he said.
To ensure precise planning and seamless execution, the Minister directed officials to expedite the aerial LIDAR survey.
The Minister met earlier in the day with NGRI scientists to finalise the technical modalities of the survey.
He reiterated that cost would not be a constraint, but quality and speed must be maintained at the highest standards.
The meeting also marked the first formal interaction with Colonel Parikshit Mehra, a globally acclaimed tunnel engineering expert who has recently joined the Irrigation Department on deputation.
The Minister expressed confidence that Mehra's expertise would help resolve long-pending technical challenges and fast-track the completion of SLBC and other key tunnel projects.
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