Srisailam Left Bank Canal tunnel rescue operations focus on draining out water from site

The five pumping stations equipped with 150 HP capacity each were pumping out over 55,000 gallons of water per hour into the Krishna River

Hyderabad: The rescue operations within the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel have gained momentum following the recovery of the second body of the trapped workers on Tuesday.

Efforts were now concentrated on draining water from the accident site. With five newly installed pumping stations, each equipped with 150 HP capacity, over 55,000 gallons of water was being pumped out per hour into the Krishna River. Each station was capable of transferring 3,600 litres of water per minute.

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Special Chief Secretary (Disaster and Management) Arvind Kumar along with Special Officer Shiva Shankar Lotheti (IAS), conducted a review meeting on Wednesday with senior officials at the SLBC Tunnel Office. The bodies of two workers have been recovered and handed over to their families, while efforts were being expedited to locate the remaining six.

Rescue teams have been working round the clock, deploying four excavators for soil removal and using conveyor belts to clear the debris. Obstructions caused by components of the Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) were being removed to speed up the process. Teams were also focused on restoring the loco track within the tunnel to enhance accessibility and efficiency in rescue operations.

Senior officials were stationed on-site providing guidance to the rescue teams and ensuring smooth operations.

The review meeting also included the participation of several key personnel, including Army officer Vikas Singh, NDRF officials Harish, Singareni Mines Rescue General Manager Baidya, Nagarkurnool RDO Suresh, representatives from SDRF, Hydra, South Central Railway, Irrigation EE Srinivas, and JP Company officials.