Telangana Tunnel Collapse: Hopes Fade; Rescue Operations may Conclude in 2 days
The tunnel’s single entry-exit point, coupled with a relentless influx of 3,200 liters of water per minute mixing with debris, makes it the most complex tunnel rescue in India, if not the world.
As the clock ticks into the sixth day since the catastrophic collapse of the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel in Telangana’s Nagarkurnool district, rescue operations have entered a pivotal yet precarious stage. Eight workers (two engineers and six laborers) remain trapped 14 kilometers inside the tunnel following a roof collapse on Saturday morning.
Despite a Herculean effort involving over 600 personnel from multiple agencies, the chances of survival are dwindling, with officials now cautiously preparing for the worst. Rescue teams are devising a “solid action plan” to clear the final 50-meter barrier within two days. Telangana Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy said the Government has developed a comprehensive action plan, including exploring alternative access routes and deploying advanced machinery for dewatering, aiming to conclude the SLBC tunnel rescue operations within two days.
Uttam Kumar Reddy, alongside Roads and Buildings Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, addressed the media late Wednesday from the SLBC camp office, calling the operation “the most complex and difficult tunnel rescue in India, if not the world". The tunnel’s single entry-exit point, coupled with a relentless influx of 3,200 liters of water per minute mixing with debris, has created a deadly slurry that threatens both the trapped workers and the rescuers. Reddy cited expert findings of a “slight tectonic shift” and geological fault lines as the likely cause, describing it as an unpreventable natural disaster.
The collapse occurred during excavation work with a tunnel boring machine (TBM), when a three-meter section of the roof caved in near Domalapenta, burying the workers under tons of mud, debris, and slush. The incident shifted the massive TBM nearly 200 meters, complicating rescue efforts. The trapped individuals hail from Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Punjab, and Jammu & Kashmir, including project engineer Manoj Kumar and machine operator Gurpreet Singh, whose families are clinging to fading hope as they await news.
On Wednesday, a breakthrough appeared imminent when a 20-member team of experts from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and expert rat miners, known for their success in the 2023 Silkyara tunnel rescue, reached the final stretch of the collapsed section. However, their return yielded no signs of life. Nagarkurnool District Collector Badavath Santosh reported that while the team accessed the end of the tunnel, continuous water seepage and solidifying slush prevented any contact with the trapped workers. “We’ve reached the site, but the conditions are beyond challenging,” Santosh said, noting that dewatering efforts are ongoing with advanced machinery.
The state government has escalated its response, enlisting the expertise of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) and consulting the National Centre of Seismology for a study on the tunnel’s stability. Teams from the Indian Army, Navy’s MARCOS, Geological Survey of India (GSI), and National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI) are working alongside L&T engineers and Uttarakhand tunnel collapse veterans. Plans to deploy sniffer dogs and endoscopic cameras are underway, though the rising mud levels - now up to 25 feet high in the 30-foot-wide tunnel - pose severe risks.
Telangana Minister Jupally Krishna Rao, who has been overseeing operations, delivered a somber update: “The chances of survival are very, very remote. We’re doing everything possible, but the muck and lack of oxygen make it a daunting task.” Families, including that of Gurpreet Singh from Punjab, gathered in prayer, grappling with uncertainty as the sole breadwinner’s fate hangs in the balance.
The tragedy has sparked political friction, with Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader K.T. Rama Rao demanding a judicial probe into alleged negligence, while Congress leaders urged focus on rescue over rhetoric. Workers outside the site, shaken by the incident, have begun demanding payment and release, unwilling to continue under such hazardous conditions.
As of 8:41 AM IST on Thursday, February 27, rescue teams are devising a “solid action plan” to clear the final 50-meter barrier within two days, according to Reddy. However, with each passing hour, the operation shifts from a race against time to a grim recovery effort, underscoring the perilous nature of India’s infrastructure ambitions.
