Telangana Tunnel Incident: Ongoing Rescue Efforts Mark Ninth Day
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Synopsis
On the ninth day of rescue operations, teams continue to face challenges in recovering eight individuals trapped in a collapsed tunnel in Telangana. Authorities are hopeful for a breakthrough as the situation remains critical.
Key Takeaways
- Rescue efforts ongoing for eight trapped individuals.
- Teams face significant challenges due to water seepage.
- Authorities are hopeful for a positive outcome soon.
- Chief Minister scheduled to visit the site for updates.
- Rescue operation is considered the most complex in India.
Hyderabad, March 2 (NationPress) The mission to rescue eight individuals trapped in a partially collapsed Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel in Telangana's Nagarkurnool district has now reached the ninth day as of Sunday.
Persistent water seepage continues to pose a significant challenge to the rescue operations, which are reported to be in their final phases.
Multiple rescue teams are encountering difficulties in desilting and removing debris from the Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) following machine-cutting activities.
Despite intensified efforts over the past two days, these teams have been unable to clear the substantial debris in the last 40-meter stretch of the 14-km tunnel, where a section of the roof collapsed on February 22 during excavation.
On Saturday, authorities had positioned at least nine ambulances near the tunnel, raising speculation that rescue workers might soon discover bodies.
State minister Jupally Krishna Rao expressed optimism that four individuals would be retrieved on Sunday.
Rescue teams comprising personnel from the Army, Navy, NDRF, SDRF, Singareni Mines Rescue, Fire Services, National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI), HYDRAA, South Central Railway plasma cutters, and Rat Miners continue to clear debris at eight locations identified by NGRI after utilizing Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) for site scanning.
NGRI experts have identified some soft material beneath the debris in the last 10-15 meters of the tunnel, although it remains uncertain whether it belongs to those trapped.
Approximately 700 personnel from 18 governmental agencies are involved in the rescue efforts, with at least 120 workers working in each shift. Officials indicated that operations are conducted in three shifts daily.
The conveyor belt remains non-functional, but rescue teams are hopeful that its activation will accelerate debris removal.
Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy is scheduled to visit the tunnel on Sunday evening for an assessment with senior officials and is expected to provide directives. This will mark his first visit to the accident site.
Both opposition parties, BRS and BJP, have criticized the Chief Minister for his delayed visit to the site, while the ruling Congress defended this decision, claiming it could hinder rescue operations.
Officials note that various factors are complicating the rescue, which is considered the most challenging tunnel rescue operation in the country. Since the loco train can only reach up to the 12th kilometer, rescue teams are struggling to access the accident location.
Two workers suffered injuries, and eight others remain trapped following the roof collapse at the 14th km point on February 22.
The trapped individuals 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.
Among the eight, two are engineers, two are operators, and the remaining four are laborers.
They were employed by Jaiprakash Associates, the contracting firm for the tunnel project.
