SLBC tunnel collapse: Compensation paid, but bodies of missing workers remained elusive

Nine months after the collapse of the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel in Nagarkurnool district that killed eight workers, the state government has disbursed Rs 25 lakh ex-gratia to each of the victims’ families. The National Geophysical Research Institute is now completing advanced surveys.

Hyderabad: Nine months after a devastating collapse in the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel claimed eight lives in Nagarkurnool district, the state government has disbursed Rs 25 lakh ex-gratia each to the victims’ families.

The advanced geophysical surveys nearing completion are expected to facilitate the resumption of the ambitious irrigation project.

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The tragedy took place on February 22, 2025, around 8:30 AM at the 14-km mark near Domalapenta in Amrabad mandal. A three-meter roof section caved in during leak repair work, trapping eight workers.

It was attributed to weak rock formations and water seepage in a known fault zone flagged in earlier 2022 surveys by Jaiprakash Associates and Amberg Tech.

Of the 70 on site, most escaped, but victims included TBM operator Gurpreet Singh (Punjab), engineer Manoj Kumar (Uttar Pradesh), and six others from Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand- Srinivas, Sunny Singh, Sandeep Sahu, Santosh Sahu, Anuj Sahu, and Jagta were trapped in the debris.

Rescue operations, dubbed as India’s most complex tunnel effort, mobilized over 750 personnel from NDRF, Indian Army, SDRF, and GSI for 58 days until April 20, hampered by instability and flooding risks. Bodies of Gurpreet and Manoj were recovered later about 50 meters away from the conveyor using mini-excavators.

The rest remain under debris despite drilling and seismic probes. Operations halted after GSI warnings and the site was sealed. There have been no further recoveries in the tunnel.

The state Government announced Rs 25 lakh ex gratia to each of those killed on April 1 through Nagarkurnool Collector, covering all eight families by presuming the missing deceased, despite no formal death declarations.

The National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI) conducted helicopter-borne electromagnetic and LiDAR surveys on the challenging 9.8-km stretch and expected to be completed by the end of November.

The 3D maps expected from the survey findings would be the base for safe re-routing and controlled blasting method to be adopted to complete the tunnel work.