SLBC tunnel collapse: Rescue mission sets 48-hour target to save missing workers

Services from Indian Marine Commando Force, Border Roads Organisation incorporated

Hyderabad: As part of the ongoing quest for the eight missing workers and engineers in the collapsed section of SLBC tunnel project, the State administration has ramped up the rescue operations.

Steered by a strategic plan aiming to reach the missing individuals within a span of 48 hours, services from specialised agencies such as the Indian Marine Commando Force (MARCOS) and the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) were also incorporated on Wednesday as part of the mission. The possibility of involving international tunnel rescue specialists is also being explored.

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The Ministerial team that is monitoring the operations, remained optimistic of a breakthrough in reaching the trapped workers and got all the emergency services centralised at the site. The focus of the mission will be mainly on ensuring a safe passage to the rescue teams enabling them to reach the tunnel end that was already surveyed by the rathole miners by venturing beyond barriers of debris and unabated seepage that resulting in heavy water logging.

Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy expressed confidence with the intensified rescue efforts and deployment of elite forces.

“The government is committed to the safety and well-being of every worker,” he asserted. “We are leaving no stone unturned and utilizing the best of our resources to bring them back safely. The Indian Marine Commandos and Border Roads Organisation are among the finest in the nation, and their involvement gives us hope and confidence,” he said.

Real-time monitoring of tunnel conditions is being carried out using advanced imaging systems. Experts are continuously assessing the structural stability of the tunnel. Steps are being taken to ensure that rescue teams can proceed safely without any risks to either the trapped workers or the responders. Since the incident occurred, the State government has worked in close coordination with the Army, Navy, and other specialised forces.

At the review meeting, senior officials discussed ways to fast-track the rescue. The teams were instructed to integrate best practices in tunnel rescue operations, ensuring that the trapped workers could be reached in the shortest possible time. The minister also hinted at the possibility of involving international tunnel rescue specialists if the situation required additional technical expertise. He revealed that remote-controlled devices, high-tech imaging systems, and precision excavation equipment were being deployed to assess the tunnel’s internal conditions with greater accuracy.

As part of the intensified rescue operations, the government has also introduced reinforced support structures to stabilise the pathway leading to the tunnel boring machine, ensuring that rescuers can navigate safely through the tunnel. Officials have been instructed to accelerate debris removal and reinforce weakened tunnel sections to prevent any secondary collapses.