Bhopal, Mar 17: A 12-kilometre long tunnel of 10 metre diametre would be constructed at a cost of Rs 799 crore for carrying Narmada water to the basin of Son river under Bargi diversion project.

This decision was taken at a meeting at Vidhan Sabha chamber, which was chaired by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan here today. Those present at the meeting included Industry Minister Jayant Malaiya, Water Resources Minister Anup Mishra, Narmada Valley Development Minister Nagendra Singh, Tribal Welfare Minister Kunwar Vijay Shah, Revenue Minister Kamal Patel, Chief Secretary Rakesh Sahni, Narmada Valley Development Authority vice-chairman Pradeep Bhargava and other seniors officers.

This tunnel would be constructed between 104th km and 129th km in Sleemanabad Carrier Canal. After construction of the tunnel, the right-bank canal of the project would be ultimately turn into Satna branch canal and Rewa canal. Bargi diversion project would bring under irrigation about 81,823 hectare area in Jabalpur and Katni districts, 1,59,655 hectare in Satna district and 3,532 hectare in Rewa district, the total of which would be 2,45,010 hectares.

Approval of Planning Commission, Union Environment Ministry and Central Water Commission has been received for construction of this tunnel.

Approval was also given at today's meeting of Narmada Control Board to construction of 25-km long canal from 129th km to 154th km of right-bank canal of Bargi diversion project. This would cost Rs 138 crore.

The Board also gave revised administrative sanction to survey-research of various projects including Upper Budhner in Dindori district, Atariya in Jabalpur district, Sher, Shakkar and Machhrewa in Narsinghpur district and Dudhi in Hoshangabad district.