NAGARKURNOOL: The rescue mission to save eight workers trapped inside a collapsed tunnel in Telangana's Nagarkurnool district is in its final phase. It has been a week since the accident, and officials have denied reports claiming that any bodies have been found. Ambulances remain on standby near the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel, while rescue teams continue clearing debris using heavy machinery.
Rescue Teams and Efforts
Several agencies, including the Army, Navy, NDRF, SDRF, Singareni Mines Rescue, Fire Services, NGRI, HYDRAA, South Central Railway plasma cutters, and expert Rat Miners, are working together. They are focusing on five key spots identified using Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR).
NGRI experts found some soft material in the debris within the last 10-15 meters of the tunnel. However, they are unsure if it is linked to the missing workers. Large amounts of silt that is between 5-7 meters high still need to be removed.
Challenges in the Rescue Work
One major challenge is the continuous water seepage inside the tunnel, which is slowing down operations. Additionally, the conveyor belt used to remove debris is under repair, but officials expect it to speed up the process once it starts working again.
Nagarkurnool District Collector Badavath Santosh dismissed rumors about bodies being found. He urged the media not to spread unverified information, stating, “NGRI has identified certain points, but we cannot confirm what they are yet. It could be metal or something else. We are proceeding based on their findings.”
High-Tech Equipment in Use
To speed up the rescue, officials are using advanced equipment. Water is being pumped out, and plasma gas cutters are being used to clear the debris. Special cameras and sensors are monitoring the tunnel’s internal conditions in real-time. Excavators are also being used to remove the sludge.
Incident Overview
The tunnel collapsed on February 22 at the 14th km mark, injuring two workers and trapping eight others.
List of Trapped Workers
Manoj Kumar (Uttar Pradesh) Sri Niwas (Uttar Pradesh) Sunny Singh (Jammu & Kashmir) Gurpreet Singh (Punjab) Sandeep Sahu (Jharkhand) Jegta Xess (Jharkhand) Santosh Sahu (Jharkhand) Anuj Sahau (Jharkhand)Among them, two are engineers, two are operators, and four are laborers. They were working for Jaiprakash Associates, the company responsible for the tunnel project.