SLBC tunnel collapse: Rescue teams intensify efforts to reach trapped workers

It is believed that the pocket where the workers are trapped is only 100 metres away from the rescue teams

Hyderabad: While concerted efforts are being made to save the lives of workers and engineers trapped inside the collapsed section of the Srisailam Left Bank Canal Tunnel project, rescue agencies have intensified their operations. It is believed that the pocket where the workers are trapped is only 100 metres away from the rescue teams. But the situation remained challenging as the last stretch proved to be inaccessible.

Telangana Governor Jishnu Dev Varma has been closely monitoring the progress of the rescue measures while Ministers N Uttam Kumar Reddy and Jupally Krishna Rao, who are overseeing the rescue operations, ventured into the tunnel as part of their assessment exercise. It is expected to take a minimum of four hours for the Ministers to complete their assessment and emerge from the tunnel.

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Army teams arrived at the tunnel with sophisticated equipment and three choppers. They joined forces with the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and Singareni Collieries rescue teams. These combined efforts are aimed at reaching the trapped individuals as quickly and safely as possible.

Rescue teams have managed to navigate approximately 14 km into the tunnel. However, the last stretch of the tunnel is precariously positioned, and any further excavation to remove debris is feared to trigger further collapse of the tunnel. This has posed a serious challenge to the rescue mission.

The dewatering process is ongoing, but it remains difficult to estimate how long it will take to complete the process and enable the rescue teams to gain full access. Uttam Kumar Reddy and Krishna Rao emphasized that all options were being explored to save those trapped.

The Irrigation Department, which has also been put on alert, is exploring the scope to drill through the 400 metres of overburden or to open up the tunnel from the top or either of its sides as the situation demands. The work would commence anytime tonight if the rescue teams fail to gain access to the accident spot.