Telangana Tunnel Collapse: Obstacles Being Removed To Reach Trapped Persons; Army, NDRF Included In Rescue Ops

Days after the partial collapse of a tunnel at the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) project in Telangana, the teams deployed to rescue eight persons who remain trapped have begun cutting the part of the Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) and other obstacles that are so far preventing them from going to the spot where they can search for the individuals. The tunnel collapsed on February 22.

As per PTI, the trapped persons have been identified as Manoj Kumar (UP), Sri Niwas (UP), Sunny Singh (J&K), Gurpreet Singh (Punjab) and Sandeep Sahu, Jegta Xess, Santosh Sahu and Anuj Sahau, all from Jharkhand. Of the eight, two are engineers, two are operators and the remaining four are labourers.

Commenting on the progress, Nagarkurnool Superintendent of Police Vaibhav Gaikwad told PTI, “Yes, the gas-cutting machines already went inside. Even during the nights they did some cutting. Yes, it has already started last night,” the official told PTI when asked if the gas cutters started working."

He also asserted that the damaged part of the conveyor belt in the tunnel is expected to be repaired during the day to facilitate the transportation of debris.

The development came a day after Telangana Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy said that the TBM that was stuck inside would be cut into pieces by using gas cutters and removed following which the Army, Navy, Rat Miners, and NDRF teams would get into action to rescue the eight persons who were missing.

Army, NDRF, SDRF Deployed For The Rescue Ops

Irrigation Minister Reddy in a press conference said it has been decided that the rescuers will go into the silt in the tunnel in search of the trapped men while acknowledging that the rescue operation was slowed down on Tuesday keeping in view the safety of the lives of the rescuers.

“The whole operation has been reviewed with all the officials, including from NDRF, Army, SDRF, District Collector, and superintendent of police...we have made a concrete plan of action today that we will go ahead into the silt (in the tunnel). Now we are hoping that we can complete the whole operation in two days. We have decided a plan of action and decided a timeframe, and now we will go forward," he said.

He further emphasised that real-time monitoring of tunnel conditions was being carried out using advanced imaging systems. Experts were continuously assessing the structural stability of the tunnel, ensuring that rescue teams could proceed safely without any risks to either the trapped workers or the responders.

Reddy said the state government has roped in the best experts who have experience in building tunnels at border areas, retired army officials and people who participated in the rescue operations wherever tunnel accidents happened and sought their opinion.

The minister also said the Indian Marine Commando Force (MARCOS) and the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) have been brought in for the rescue operations

Sniffer Dog To Be Used

As sludge started solidifying inside the Srisailam Left Bank Canal tunnel in Telangana, part of which collapsed trapping eight persons, rescuers are planning to use sniffer dogs to locate those got trapped, District Collector B Santhosh said on Wednesday.

Santhosh also said the teams were able to reach up to the accident spot inside the tunnel using a thermal fishing boat.

"Initially there was a hurdle of 40 meters (from the accident spot). The sludge was there. But that has solidified now to the maximum extent. So the team could go up to the accident spot. So we have a sniffer dog. We will take it. So with the dog's help, we will try to locate (the trapped)," he told PTI.