SLBC Tunnel Collapse a national disaster, says Uttam; Immediate deployment of robots on cards

On Saturday morning, he visited the SLBC tunnel and held a review meeting with senior officials from various rescue teams. Special Chief Secretary (Disaster Management) Arvind Kumar and Army Commandant Parikshit Mehra updated the Minister on the progress made in locating the trapped workers.

Hyderabad: Calling the SLBC tunnel accident nothing less than a national disaster, Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy said on Saturday that efforts were underway to rescue workers trapped inside the tunnel, with the latest and most advanced global technologies being employed.

On Saturday morning, he visited the SLBC tunnel and conducted a review meeting with senior officials from different rescue teams on Saturday. Special Chief Secretary (Disaster Management) Arvind Kumar and Army Commandant Parikshit Mehra briefed the Minister on the progress made so far in tracing the trapped workers.

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Experts from NGRI, the Geological Survey of India, the Cadaver Dog Team, Rat Miners, and the Robotic sectors discussed the challenges and obstacles hindering the rescue operations and suggested measures to overcome them. The Minister assured that despite the difficulties posed by low oxygen levels, high water seepage and debris blocking the tunnel, the government was determined to continue rescue operations at full speed.

On behalf of the State government, he pledged full support to workers and officials involved in the rescue operation and emphasized the use of the world’s best technology to locate the trapped workers. The minister also announced an allocation of Rs 4 crore for employing advanced robotic experts for the rescue operations and ordered immediate deployment of robots to the site.

Expressing his gratitude to the dedicated officials, experts, and personnel working tirelessly in the rescue mission, the Minister stated that he would return to the site on March 11, and said that a review meeting