Enhanced Rescue Efforts for Six Missing Individuals in Telangana Tunnel
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Synopsis
Rescue efforts in Telangana's Nagarkurnool district are intensified to locate six missing persons following a tunnel collapse. Progress is being made in restoring the loco train track and ensuring safety during ongoing operations involving multiple agencies.
Key Takeaways
- Rescue operations are ongoing in the SLBC tunnel.
- Six individuals are still missing after a tunnel collapse.
- Two bodies have been recovered and returned to families.
- Efforts include soil excavation, steel cutting, and dewatering.
- Robotic technology is being utilized for safety in hazardous areas.
Hyderabad, April 9 (NationPress) Rescue operations in the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel located in Nagarkurnool district of Telangana have ramped up significantly to locate six individuals who remain unaccounted for. Rescue teams have made notable advancements in the restoration of the loco train track, as stated by officials on Wednesday.
As the rescue mission reaches its 48th day, officials from various agencies are performing a comprehensive examination of the site where the tunnel partially collapsed.
Efforts to restore the loco train track are ongoing, while simultaneous tasks such as soil excavation, steel cutting, and dewatering are in progress. The advancement of conveyor belts and ventilation systems is being synchronized with excavation efforts.
Officials report that rescue teams are working diligently and continuously to locate the missing individuals.
The operation is now in its concluding phase, with the restoration of the loco track proceeding rapidly up to the 13.88 km mark.
A collapse in the tunnel roof on February 22 trapped eight workers.
The remains of two workers have been recovered and returned to their families, while the whereabouts of the remaining six individuals are still unknown.
The body of Gurpreet Singh, a Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) operator from Punjab, was retrieved on March 9.
Additionally, the body of Manoj Kumar, a project engineer from Uttar Pradesh, was recovered on March 25.
The Telangana government has announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 25 lakh each to the families of the deceased.
Numerous agencies, including the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL), and Anvi Robotics, are actively engaged in the efforts to locate the remaining six individuals.
The missing individuals include Sri Niwas (UP), Sunny Singh (J&K), and Sandeep Sahu, Jegta Xess, Santosh Sahu, and Anuj Sahu, all from Jharkhand.
Rescue workers are continuing to excavate at locations identified by a cadaver dog squad from Kerala. Robotic technology has also been utilized in perilous areas near the TBM for enhanced safety.
During a review meeting in Hyderabad on March 24, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy instructed officials to accelerate the rescue initiatives.
A senior IAS officer, Shiva Shankar Loteti, has been designated as the Special Officer to oversee the rescue operations.
In total, 25 agencies, incorporating various branches of both the Central and State governments along with private organizations, are involved in the rescue efforts. Approximately 700 personnel are participating in the operation.
According to officials, the rescue teams are diligently clearing debris from collapsed rocks, dismantling TBM components, and removing soil mounds, silt, and water from the tunnel.
