Telangana Tunnel Collapse: Rescue Efforts Stalled as Slush and Water Threaten Hopes for Eight Trapped Workers
State Minister Jupally Krishna Rao, after inspecting the site, called the chances of finding the trapped workers alive “very, very, very remote.
Rescue operations at Srisailam Left Bank Canala (SLBC) tunnel in Telangana's Nargarkurnool district paused intensive excavation after experts warned that the growing slush wall, now over 25 feet high in the 30-foot-wide tunnel, poses a risk to rescuers’ lives. However, oxygen continues to be pumped in, but there’s been no response from the trapped workers, dimming hopes of survival. Telangana Minister Jupally Krishna Rao, after inspecting the site, called the chances of finding them alive “very, very, very remote,” while officials estimate clearing the debris could take days. Specialised endoscopic and robotic cameras arrived late Tuesday to probe the wreckage, but muddy conditions have limited their effectiveness so far.
Eight workers remain trapped following the tunnel’s partial collapse on Saturday, caused by an unexpected mudslide and roof cave-in 14 km inside the 44-km irrigation project. The situation has grown increasingly dire as rising slush, water flow, and structural instability hinder efforts to reach the trapped individuals.
The collapse occurred during repair work on a water leak, burying two engineers, two operators, and four laborers from Uttar Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, and Jharkhand under tons of debris. Over 600 personnel from the Indian Army, Navy MARCOS, NDRF, SDRF, and expert rat miners from Uttarakhand, who aided the 2023 Silkyara rescue, have been deployed. Despite their efforts, thick muck, tangled iron rods, and cement blocks, compounded by a continuous influx of silt and water, have stalled progress. Irrigation Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy described the incident as potentially “the most complex tunnel accident in India,” citing a possible tectonic shift or geological fault line failure as the cause.
The State Government has enlisted the Geological Survey of India and National Remote Sensing Agency to assess fault lines and prevent further collapses, with Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka overseeing operations. Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi, prompting national attention. Meanwhile, families of the trapped workers, including four from Jharkhand whose relatives traveled to the site, wait anxiously for news.
The disaster has sparked political fire, with the opposition Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) demanding a judicial probe into alleged negligence, while the ruling Congress defends its response, accusing BRS of politicising the crisis. As of today, the focus remains on stabilising the tunnel and removing slush, with the nation holding its breath for any sign of the eight still trapped beneath the rubble.
