Telangana Tunnel Incident: Urgent Conveyor Belt Repairs Underway to Clear Debris
Click to start listening
Synopsis
Authorities in Telangana are fast-tracking repairs on the conveyor belt to clear debris from the SLBC tunnel accident site, where eight individuals remain unaccounted for. As rescue operations enter their 10th day, advanced technology, including robots, may be employed to aid in the search.
Key Takeaways
- Urgent repairs on the conveyor belt are underway.
- Eight individuals remain trapped in the tunnel since February 22.
- Advanced technology is being used for debris removal.
- Special machinery deployed to prevent further water inflow.
- Robots may be utilized to locate the trapped individuals.
Hyderabad, March 3 (NationPress) Authorities have accelerated the repair efforts on the conveyor belt to clear debris from the accident site in the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel located in Telangana’s Nagarkurnool district, as rescue operations persist for the 10th consecutive day on Monday.
The fate of eight individuals trapped in the tunnel following the roof collapse on February 22 remains uncertain.
Disaster Management Special Chief Secretary Arvind Kumar, Nagarkurnool District Collector Badavath Santosh, and other officials conducted a review meeting at the tunnel’s inlet office to evaluate the ongoing rescue efforts.
The repairs of the conveyor belt have been prioritized to aid in the removal of debris from the SLBC accident site. Officials confirmed that the dewatering process is advancing rapidly.
Telangana State Southern Power Distribution Company Limited Chairman and Managing Director Musharraf Ali, Nagarkurnool District Superintendent of Police Vaibhav Gaikwad Raghunath, Colonel Parikshit Mehra, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) officer Prasanna, along with representatives from HYDRAA, Singareni Mines Rescue, SDRF, Fire Services, and South Central Railway, participated in the meeting.
Disaster Management Special Chief Secretary Arvind Kumar reviewed the challenges faced in the rescue operations and discussed them with the involved teams. Authorities are consistently reassessing the rescue efforts with teams from 12 different agencies.
Special officers are being consulted for recommendations and guidance to ensure that the necessary actions are executed effectively. Advanced technology is being employed under expert supervision to remove mud, sludge, and concrete debris from the tunnel.
To mitigate further water inflow into the SLBC tunnel from above and both sides, as well as to drain the already accumulated water, special machinery has been deployed to operate continuously, ensuring that the rescue operations proceed without interruption.
Authorities are investigating the feasibility of using robots to locate the eight trapped men.
Multiple rescue teams have continued desilting and machine-cutting at sites identified by the National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI) after scanning the accident location with Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR).
Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Sunday proposed the use of robots in the tunnel where eight individuals have remained trapped since February 22.
The Chief Minister, who visited the tunnel and held a review meeting with the agencies involved in the rescue operation, urged officials to consider the utilization of robots to avert any further loss of life.
He noted that experts have not yet reached a conclusion regarding whether the eight missing individuals are alive or deceased.
The Chief Minister stated that it may take another 2-3 days for the rescue workers to arrive at a conclusion.
