BRS Working President K. Taraka Rama Rao (KTR) has strongly criticized the state government over a tragic accident at the SLBC tunnel site, which claimed eight lives. He accused Chief Minister Revanth Reddy and his cabinet of ignoring warnings about the dangers of the site. According to KTR, the government overlooked two reports that labeled the site as a ‘Red Zone’ and went ahead with the project for financial gains, leading to a major loss of public funds.
KTR pointed out that a 2020 survey by Jaiprakash Associates Limited, in collaboration with Amberg Tech AG, had assessed the tunnel site. Later, in 2022, another survey by Amberg Tech AG identified a fault zone between 13.88 km and 13.91 km of the tunnel. This report warned about weak rock formations and severe water leakages. KTR stressed that the recent accident happened exactly in the area highlighted by the report, proving that the government was aware of the risks but ignored them.
Backing his claims, KTR mentioned another geological survey conducted in 2022 by former Director General of the Geological Survey of India, Mandapalli Raju, and Jaiprakash Associates geologist Rituraj Deshmukh. This study also raised concerns, stating that tunnel construction had begun without properly assessing surface conditions. This, according to KTR, showed clear negligence from the authorities.
Despite having these reports, KTR alleged that the government deliberately hid the findings and allowed the project to continue, putting workers’ lives in danger. He held the state cabinet responsible and demanded an independent judicial inquiry under a sitting High Court judge. He also urged the government to release the suppressed reports to the public to ensure transparency and justice for the victims.
The accusations have led to a heated political debate, with the opposition calling for immediate accountability from the state government. So far, the administration has not responded to the allegations, but the issue is expected to remain a major topic in political discussions in the coming days.
Interestingly, it appears that the government was aware of the report. Jaiprakash Associates confirmed to the media that they had seen the report in 2020 but refused to comment further on the matter.
