MP CM Mohan Yadav Inspects Sleemanabad Water Tunnel In Katni; Says Narmada Water Will Irrigate 2.45 Lakh Hectares | VIDEO

Katni (Madhya Pradesh): Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav inspected the Sleemanabad Water Tunnel in Katni district of Madhya Pradesh on Friday.

Here, he said the project will bring Narmada River water to the Son Basin, providing irrigation to around 2.45 lakh hectares of agricultural land across the state.

The 11.95-km-long Sleemanabad Tunnel, which is the longest water tunnel in India, has been built at an estimated cost of ₹1,600 crore.

The tunnel has a diameter of 10.14 metres and will transport Narmada water through a gravity-based system, eliminating the need for pumps. 

The project is expected to improve irrigation facilities in the districts of Jabalpur, Katni, Maihar, Satna, Panna and Rewa.

The tunnel is part of the 197-km Bargi Diversion Project, which is being developed by the Narmada Valley Development Authority. 

It stretches between the 104th and 116th kilometre of the canal and has been constructed beneath national highways, railway tracks, underground utilities and populated areas without causing structural damage. Around 1,450 villages are expected to benefit from the project.

Speaking after the inspection, CM Yadav said the tunnel has become a reality after 17 years of continuous efforts despite several technical challenges. 

He praised the engineers, officials and experts involved in the construction, calling it a landmark achievement in science, engineering and water management. 

He said the project would boost agricultural productivity and improve the lives of farmers across the Vindhya region.

The Chief Minister said the project was completed at a cost of around ₹1,600 crore, with the Central Government contributing ₹275 crore and the remaining amount funded by the Madhya Pradesh Government. 

He added that the tunnel would improve irrigation and drinking water availability in several districts and provide long-term benefits to lakhs of people.

Yadav also said two more major canals under the project are expected to become operational within the next three months, bringing nearly one lakh hectares of additional farmland under irrigation and further strengthening agricultural development in the region.