Rescue Efforts Intensified at Telangana Tunnel Collapse Site
By Sunday morning, rescuers had advanced 13.5 kms into the tunnel, reaching the TBM’s last known position, but the final 200 meters remain blocked by debris, water, and slush.
Rescue operations involving multiple agencies, including the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and an Engineer Task Force from the Indian Army, equipped with an excavator dozer are intensified at Srisailam Left Bank Canal tunnel site. A 19-member team from Singareni Collieries Company Ltd., a state-owned coal mining firm with expertise in such emergencies, has also joined the effort. By Sunday morning, rescuers had advanced 13.5 kms into the tunnel, reaching the TBM’s last known position, but the final 200 meters remain blocked by debris, water, and slush. Attempts to establish contact with the trapped workers by shouting have yielded no response, raising concerns about their condition.
A devastating incident unfolded on Saturday morning, when a section of the under-construction Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel collapsed in Telangana’s Nagarkurnool district, approximately 120 km from Hyderabad. Eight workers, including two engineers and six laborers, remain trapped 14 kilometers inside the 44-kilometer-long tunnel, sparking a massive rescue operation that has now entered its second day.
The collapse occurred around 8:30 a.m. at the 14-km mark of the tunnel, which is designed to carry Krishna River water to irrigate fluoride-affected and backward areas of Nalgonda district. Authorities attribute the incident to incessant water seepage that weakened a three-meter section of the tunnel’s roof, causing it to cave in. The resulting debris, coupled with water and mud accumulation, has created significant challenges for rescue teams. Reports indicate that the tunnel was plunged into darkness after electric wires snapped, and the air chamber and conveyor belt systems also collapsed, complicating efforts to reach the trapped workers.
Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy swiftly responded to the crisis, directing officials, including the District Collector, Superintendent of Police, fire department personnel, and the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Assets Protection Agency (HYDRAA), to rush to the site. Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy, along with other senior officials, arrived via helicopter to oversee operations. The minister confirmed that the ventilation system remains functional, providing oxygen to those trapped, and ambulances with medical teams are on high alert.
The trapped workers have been identified as Manoj Kumar and Sri Niwas from Uttar Pradesh, Sandeep Sahu, Jagta Xess, Santosh Sahu, and Anuj Sahu from Jharkhand, Sunny Singh from Jammu and Kashmir, and Gurpreet Singh from Punjab. Two of them, Sunny Singh and Gurpreet Singh, are engineers from Robbins India, a U.S.-based tunneling firm operating the tunnel boring machine (TBM), while the others are employed by Jaiprakash Associates, the construction agency.
The complexity of the rescue has drawn comparisons to the 2023 Uttarkashi tunnel collapse in Uttarakhand, where 41 workers were freed after 17 days. Telangana authorities have sought assistance from experts involved in that operation, some of whom are expected to arrive at the site soon. However, challenges abound: water accumulation inside the tunnel, knee-deep mud, and the risk of further collapses have slowed progress. Drilling from above has been ruled out due to thick rock sheets overhead, leaving teams to rely on clearing debris from within.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi contacted Chief Minister Reddy on Saturday, assuring full support from the central government, including immediate deployment of NDRF teams. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also expressed distress over the incident, speaking with Reddy on Sunday to commend the state’s efforts and urge relentless action to save the workers.
The incident has sparked criticism from opposition leaders, with Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS) leader KT Rama Rao blaming the State Government for alleged negligence and collusion with contractors, citing a pattern of infrastructure mishaps. Meanwhile, families of the trapped workers anxiously await updates as rescue teams work against time and treacherous conditions.
Currently, the rescue operations continue with cautious optimism. Authorities remain committed to extricating the eight trapped individuals, but the situation underscores the inherent risks of large-scale infrastructure projects and the urgent need for enhanced safety measures.
