No breakthrough in SLBC tunnel rescue after 50 days: Harish Rao blames Govt negligence

Harish Rao called for a thorough investigation into the incident and the reported lapses in the rescue operations. Holding the Revanth Reddy-led government responsible, he said eight workers remain trapped inside the tunnel due to the administration’s negligence. “This government's carelessness has thrown the lives of eight innocent individuals into uncertainty and left their families in deep anguish,” he stated.

Hyderabad: With the SLBC tunnel rescue operations continuing even after 50 days, senior BRS MLA and former Minister T Harish Rao launched a scathing attack on the Congress government over its complete failure. Calling for justice to the victims’ families, he urged the State government to provide immediate support to them.

He also demanded for a full-scale investigation into the incident and subsequent lapses in rescue operations. He blamed the Revanth Reddy government for the incident which left eight workers trapped inside the tunnel. “The negligence of this government has pushed the lives of eight innocent people into uncertainty and plunged their families into unimaginable grief,” he said.

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Criticising the lack of progress in rescue operations, Harish Rao said the family members were staying at the site, clinging on to hope. Their wait had turned into a painful experience. He blamed the Congress government for offering only symbolic gestures instead of concrete action. “Beyond a review meeting and a photo-op at the site, there has been no sincere attempt to resolve the crisis,” he remarked.

So far, only two bodies have been retrieved from the tunnel, and there has been no clarity about the fate of the remaining six. “The entire nation is watching and hoping. But the Chief Minister, who should have led this rescue effort with urgency, has been utterly negligent,” he said.

The former Minister also questioned the frequent shifting of timelines and the lack of coordination between relief teams. He said even the dates given for helicopter landings have changed multiple times, but not a single person has been rescued alive.

“This delay, confusion, and inaction are a disgrace in the history of governance,” he said, adding that the workers came to Telangana in search of livelihood and emphasised the need to stand by their families in this moment of sorrow.