SLBC Tunnel Collapse: Two engineers among eight trapped; NDRF, NDMA help sought

Telangana Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy, who visited the mishap site along with Minister Jupally Krishna Rao, said the government will not spare any effort to rescue the trapped workers

Hyderabad: Eight persons were trapped inside after a section of the roof collapsed in an under-construction stretch in the tunnel of the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) project.

According to Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy, the State government is taking the help of experts, including those who rescued the trapped workers in an incident in Uttarakhand last year, apart from seeking the help of the Indian Army and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF).

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Those trapped, about 14 km into the tunnel, include two engineers, two machine operators and four workers – all working for Robbins Tunnel Boring Machines Manufacturing Company and Jaiprakash Associates LTS. They were identified as Sunny Singh and Gurpreet Singh of Robbins, apart from Manoj Kumar, Srinivas, Sandeep Sahu, Jagath, Santosh Sahu and Anuj Sahu, all with Jaiprakash Associates.

According to the Minister, who reached the spot along with Minister Jupally Krishna Rao and other senior irrigation officials, about 50 workers had gone into the worksite around 8 am, and the tunnel boring machine was being operated from 8.30 am.

It is said that a machine operator noted seepage of water and soil and raised an alarm, prompting workers to rush out. They also heard a loud sound as they felt some ‘geological disturbance’ outside the tunnel, the Minister said, adding that while 42 workers managed to come out, eight of them, who were working ahead of the boring machine inside the tunnel, were stuck there.

“Our government is doing everything to save the lives of those eight persons. We also spoke to the experts involved in saving the individuals in the Uttarakhand incident,” Uttam Kumar Reddy said, adding that State Fire and Rescue Services personnel were also ready to join the effort. The rescue effort was planned to be undertaken after the geological disturbance stabilises, he said.

“Because it is 14 km inside, there will be some challenges. But, we are getting the best tunnel experts in the country to oversee the rescue efforts,” Uttam Kumar Reddy said. Asked if oxygen would be provided to those trapped, the Minister quoted officials as saying that ventilation would not be a problem. The rescue personnel would reach the site by Saturday night.

SCCL team to join rescue efforts A 19-member team from Singareni Collieries Company Ltd too is on its way to the site to join the rescue operations. Officials said SCCL has expertise in such rescue operations and has the necessary equipment.

PM Modi calls CM
Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached out to Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Saturday evening and inquired about the rescue operations. He expressed his concern and solidarity. Revanth Reddy briefed the Prime Minister that eight workers were trapped in the tunnel and all necessary rescue operations were underway to ensure their safety. Modi assured the Chief Minister of immediate support from Central agencies with an NDRF team to be dispatched to lead the rescue operations.

The Prime Minister also pledged the full cooperation of the Centre. He said all possible assistance would be extended for the success of the ongoing operations aimed at securing the workers’ safe return. Earlier, Revanth Reddy directed the District Collector, Superintendent of Police and other officials to reach the site for immediate relief measures.

The SLBC tunnel
Work on the tunnel, a part of the SLBC project, resumed just four days ago on February 18. The Alimineti Madhava Reddy Srisailam Left Bank Canal Project (AMRP) was actually started in 1983 to provide irrigation facility in drought-prone areas of erstwhile Nalgonda for four lakh acres, besides supplying drinking water to fluoride-affected villages en route, utilising 30 TMC of Krishna water.

The project was given administrative approval for Rs 2,813 crore in 2005. The estimated cost was revised to Rs 3,152.72 crore in 2017 and was revised again in 2024 to Rs 4,637 crore. The total length of the twin tunnels was 44 km to draw 30 TMC water from Srisailam reservoir, and about 9.5 km of tunnel work was pending.