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Friday, Jun 26, 2009
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National

Massive tunnel boring machine launched

M. Venkateswara Rao

Project is to bring water to parched areas in Prakasam, Nellore and Kadapa districts

This is the second TBM in the district
The project costs Rs. 700 crore

ONGOLE: A massive tunnel boring machine (TBM) began drilling through the Nallamala hill range on Thursday to bring water to parched areas in Prakasam, Nellore and Kadapa districts of Andhra Pradesh.

As part of the second phase of a project to draw water from Srisailam Dam to Veligonda reservoir in Prakasam district, the gigantic 9.2 m diameter TBM will burrow its way under the Nagarjunasagar Tiger Reserve, without harming the ecology of the region.

The government had initially proposed a single tunnel with an 11-metre diameter to fetch 42 tmc ft (thousand million cubic feet) of water to irrigate 4.25 lakh acres in Prakasam, Nellore and Kadapa districts.

The plan was later changed to a 7-metre diameter tunnel to irrigate about 1.25 lakh acres in Prakasam district.

However, Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy agreed to sanction a second tunnel and provide water to the entire envisaged area in two phases, following protests by the elected representatives.

This is the second TBM to be launched in the district, running parallel to the first one (7 m diameter) launched at Dornala last year.

Situated about 60 m away from the first tunnel, the second phase being launched at a cost of Rs. 700 crore, including a sum of Rs. 200 crore being spent on the TBM, will create an 18.8 km-long tunnel.

Minister for Major Irrigation Ponnala Lakshmaiah launched the boring machine fulfilling the long cherished dream of the drought prone upland areas of the three districts.

Launching the machine, Mr Lakshmaiah said that the government had taken up 81 irrigation projects at a cost of Rs. 1.75 lakh crore. It has completed 12 projects to irrigate 22 lakh acres till now.

Journalists stung by bees

Several journalists were badly stung by bees when the whirring sound of the massive machine disturbed a beehive nearby.

The Minister and senior officials escaped as they took shelter in the cars parked nearby.

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