Telangana tunnel collapse: NDRF, Army teams struggle to reach trapped workers; survival chances bleak
PTC Web Desk: Rescue operations are in full swing to evacuate eight workers trapped inside the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel in Telangana. The workers have been stranded for nearly 48 hours, with National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel navigating through debris and accumulated water to locate them.
Telangana Minister J Krishna Rao expressed concerns about their survival, citing the extreme challenges inside the tunnel. "The muck has piled up too high, making it impossible to walk through. Rescuers are using rubber tubes and wooden planks to navigate," he said after inspecting the tunnel.
The rescue team is working to clear the tunnel of water, but debris is obstructing access to the workers, preventing confirmation of their exact location. NDRF Deputy Commandant Sukhendu Datta reported that officials have covered approximately 13.5 km inside the tunnel using locomotives and conveyor belts. The team advanced 11 km by train and another 2 km on foot and via conveyor belts. The final 200 metre of the tunnel are completely blocked by debris.
Officials attempted to establish contact with the trapped workers but received no response due to the heavy debris. Sections between the 11-13 km mark are flooded, and efforts are underway to clear the water before rescue operations can continue.
Both NDRF and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams are struggling with the unstable and collapsed section of the tunnel. Mud reportedly reached up to knee level.
The trapped workers have been identified as Manoj Kumar and Sri Niwas (Uttar Pradesh), Sunny Singh (Jammu & Kashmir), Gurpreet Singh (Punjab), and Sandeep Sahu, Jegta Xess, Santosh Sahu, and Anuj Sahu (Jharkhand). Among them are two engineers, two operators, and four labourers.
Jharkhand Health Minister Irfan Ansari stated that the state is closely monitoring the situation. Chief Minister Hemant Soren has spoken to Telangana CM Revanth Reddy for updates.
The Indian Army's Engineer Task Force (ETF) from Secunderabad has been deployed to assist in the operation. A defense statement confirmed that the Army is working closely with all agencies to expedite the rescue.
The accident occurred on Saturday morning when a three-metre section of the tunnel roof collapsed near the 14 km mark, just four days after construction had resumed following a long break.
Rescuers are racing against time, with heavy debris and flooding posing significant hurdles. Authorities remain hopeful but acknowledge the grim circumstances as efforts continue to save the trapped workers.
- With inputs from agencies
