Collapse of Tunnel in Telangana: L&T Deploys Advanced Rescue Teams
Click to start listening
Synopsis
On February 24, two teams from Larsen & Toubro joined the rescue efforts for eight workers trapped in a tunnel collapse in Telangana. The operation involves advanced technology to navigate debris and communicate with potential survivors.
Key Takeaways
- Larsen & Toubro has deployed advanced technology for rescue.
- Rescue teams face challenges due to muck and flooding.
- NDRF and military forces are involved in the operation.
- Efforts are ongoing to locate and rescue trapped workers.
- Ministers are supervising the rescue operations on-site.
Hyderabad, Feb 24 (NationPress) Two teams from the construction giant Larsen & Toubro, equipped with cutting-edge technology, have joined the efforts to rescue eight workers trapped in an under-construction tunnel that partially collapsed on February 22 in Nagarkurnool district of Telangana.
Having previously managed similar rescue operations in Uttarakhand, L&T has deployed endoscopic and robotic cameras to aid in the rescue.
The Collector of Nagarkurnool district, Badavath Santosh, indicated that the rescue teams need to navigate an additional 40 meters to reach the collapse site, which is currently obstructed by debris.
The L&T teams will utilize endoscopic and robotic cameras to sift through the debris and establish communication with potential survivors at the end of the tunnel.
This same technology was instrumental in the successful rescue of 41 workers trapped in the Silkyara Bend-Barkot tunnel in Uttarakhand, where they were freed after 17 days in 2023.
On Monday, numerous teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the Army, and other agencies continued their rescue efforts.
More than 48 hours after the incident, the status of eight individuals, including two engineers and two machine operators, remains unknown.
Additionally, teams from the Indian Air Force and Navy are en route to Srisailam in three helicopters from Visakhapatnam to support the rescue mission.
The NDRF personnel successfully reached the tunnel boring machine at the 14th-km mark, but the search operation faced delays due to significant debris.
The tunnel remains flooded for approximately two kilometers, adding to the challenges faced by over 300 rescue personnel. Heavy motors have been deployed to manage the water.
Further complications arose when the loco train intended for tunnel access malfunctioned at the 11th kilometer, prompting repairs.
Intensive efforts are underway by the NDRF, Army, Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL), and the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA) to dewater and clear the tunnel.
Ministers Uttam Kumar Reddy and Jupally Krishna Rao, overseeing the rescue operations, entered the tunnel via a loco train on Sunday. Upon exiting, Jupally Krishna Rao expressed concerns about the likelihood of finding the trapped individuals alive.
Irrigation Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy assured that all possible measures were being taken to safely extract the trapped workers, including exploring options for tunneling from above.
The incident occurred during excavation work on the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel near Domalapenta, injuring two workers and trapping eight others.
At the time of the collapse, 50 individuals were working on the left tunnel, which gave way for three meters at the 14th km point.
While 42 workers managed to escape, eight remain trapped, including two engineers and two machine operators.
The trapped individuals hail from Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, and Jammu & Kashmir.
The trapped workers include Project Manager Manoj Kumar (Uttar Pradesh), Machine Engineer Srinivas (Uttar Pradesh), and machine operators Sunny Singh (J&K) and Gurpreet Singh (Punjab). The four workers from Jharkhand are Sandeep Sahu, Santosh Sahu, Anju Sahu, and Jagta Khes.
