KTR Blames Telangana Government for SLBC Tunnel Tragedy
Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader KT Rama Rao has accused Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and his cabinet of ignoring warnings about the dangers at the SLBC tunnel site. He claimed that their negligence led to the tragic accident that took the lives of eight people.
KTR alleged that the government deliberately overlooked two reports that classified the site as a “Red Zone.” He stated that the project was continued for financial gains, resulting in both loss of lives and the wastage of thousands of crores in public funds. He held the state cabinet fully responsible for this disaster.
According to KTR, a 2020 survey conducted by Jaiprakash Associates Limited, in collaboration with Amberg Tech AG, initially assessed the tunnel site. Later, in 2022, a Tunnel Seismic Prediction (TSP) survey by Amberg Tech AG specifically identified a fault zone between 13.88 km and 13.91 km of the tunnel. The survey warned about weak rock formations and severe water leakage. KTR pointed out that the recent accident happened in the exact area identified as risky, proving that the government was aware of the dangers but chose to ignore them.
Supporting his allegations, KTR referred to another geological survey conducted in 2022 by Mandapalli Raju, former Director General of the Geological Survey of India, and Jaiprakash Associates geologist Rituraj Deshmukh. This report also highlighted safety concerns, stating that tunnel construction had begun without a thorough assessment of surface conditions. According to KTR, this further demonstrated the negligence of the authorities.
Despite having these reports, KTR accused the government of deliberately withholding the findings and allowing the project to continue, putting workers’ lives at risk. He demanded an independent judicial inquiry, led by a sitting High Court judge, to investigate the disaster. He also urged the government to release the suppressed reports to the public to ensure transparency and justice for the victims.
Meanwhile, when approached by the media, Jaiprakash Associates confirmed that they had seen the report in 2020 but refused to comment further on the issue.
