Telangana Tunnel Collapse: Fresh Hurdles Delay Rescue of 8 Trapped Workers

Telangana Minister Jupalli Krishna Rao said that state government is monitoring the situation at the SLBC tunnel where a portion collapsed, resulting in eight workers being trapped.

"This project was basically meant for irrigating three lakh acres of barren lands of Nagarkurnool district and also for drinking water to eradicate this fluoride affected population...Eight people are trapped inside the tunnel after it partly collapsed...11 agencies are working to rescue the trapped workers...We are assessing properly..." Telangana Minister said. 
 

BRS working president KT Rama Rao accused Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy of prioritising the campaign for the MLC polls over relief measures at the tunnel.

Congress Lok Sabha member Chamala Kiran Kumar Reddy said this is not the time for politics, as the focus should be on rescuing those trapped inside the tunnel.

"As of now we are not able to communicate with them (trapped persons). We are taking the advice of the Geological survey of India and some other people. As of now we are dewatering and going forward. But for the last 40 or 50 meters we are not able to go. As of now we are taking the advice of GSI and NGRI. L& T experts have also come here," the district collector was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.

“I request the Central and State governments to rescue him as soon as possible...” said Satpal Singh, a relative of one of the eight workers trapped inside SLBC tunnel in Telangana.  

Union Minister G Kishan Reddy said that the Centre is providing all support required to carry out rescue operations at the SLBC tunnel, where eight workers are feared trapped. 

“All the efforts are being made by NDRF, Navy, Army, state govt officers and coal mine workers, all are unitedly working in SLBC tunnel...govt of India is providing all the support to the state govt for the operation...I pray to God that all the 8 workers come out safely," Union Minister Kishan Reddy said. 

Telangana Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy said that a unified command control to monitor the developments at the SLBC tunnel.  

“People are relentlessly working in the tunnel. We are getting videos and pictures. They are being assessed by the experts," said Telangana Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy.  

Explaining the difficulties rescuers are facing while carrying out operations at tunnel, Telangana Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy said, “There is one problem. The flow of slit and water into the tunnel at a very high speed continues. So there was one opinion expressed by some experts that the people going into the rescue, even their lives could be endangered.”

BRS working president KT Rama Rao demanded a judicial inquiry into the SLBC tunnel mishap where eight workers are feared trapped. 

"We demand that the government come forward, immediately constitute a judicial commission headed by a sitting judge of the high court and make sure that every single fact comes out because there are stories and rumours and information being received by media and opposition parties as well that the government did not take any kind of scientific measures before they restarted the work after four years..." KT Rama Rao said. 

Telangana Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy said that 35 km of tunnel digging has been completed and only 9 km of tunnel digging is left. 

"Everybody feels this is the most difficult tunnel accident in India in their memory,” Telangana Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy on Nagarkurnool SLBC tunnel collapse incident.  

Telangana Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy said government and rescue teams are doing its best to save trapped workers in the tunnel. 

“We are doing our best to save the lives...First, we want to say that the 44 km Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel will be a boon to the people and farmers of Telangana...Do they want everything to be politics? It is shameful...NDRF, SDR, Rat miners feel this is the most difficult operation in the world. This tunnel has an exit only on one side. This incident has happened probably due to a tectonic shift,” said Telangana Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy.  

Telangana Deputy CM Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka and Ministers Uttam Kumar Reddy, Venkat Reddy and Jupalli met with NDRF, SDRF rescue teams. 

Telangana Tunnel Collapse Live: With oxygen levels dropping and time running out, rescuers struggling evacuating trapped workers.

Telangana tunnel collapse Live: Telangana deputy chief minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, along with irrigation Mminister N Uttam Kumar Reddy, roads & buildings minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, and tourism minister Jupally Krishna Rao have reached the collapse site.

Telangana Tunnel Collapse Live: The Telangana government has roped in experts from GSI and NGRI to suggest the way forward regarding the rescue of eight persons trapped in Srisailam Left Bank Canal tunnel.

Telangana Tunnel Collapse Live: Several agencies are working together to evacuate 8 trapped workers. 

Telangana Tunnel Collapse Live: Landslides, waterlogging delay rescue ops. Vertical drilling also ruled out due to waterlogging.

Telangana Tunnel Collapse Live: Tunnel digging is risky due to slush and waterlogging; clearing the debris in such a long tunnel is difficult. Sniffer dogs could not enter due to the presence of water inside the tunnel.
 

Telangana Tunnel Collapse Live: On Jharkhand labourers trapped in tunnel collapse incident in Telangana, Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren says, "Our officials are in contact with the officials there (in Telangana) in regard to this issue...After going from here, I will ask about the situation there..."

Telangana Tunnel Collapse Live: Big breakthrough in Telangana tunnel collapse as workers' location found. Several agencies are working together to evacuate 8 trapped workers. 

Telangana Tunnel Collapse Live: Indian officials warn that survival chances are slim for eight workers trapped in a collapsed tunnel.

Telangana Tunnel Collapse Live: Visuals from Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel where rescue operation is underway to rescue the workers trapped inside the tunnel after a portion of the tunnel collapsed on 22nd February.

Telangana Tunnel Collapse Live: All possible efforts are underway to rescue 8 people trapped in the tunnel of the Srisailam Left Bank Canal Project. The Army, NDRF, SDRF, Navy are working tirelessly.

Telangana Tunnel Collapse Live: It has been over 72 hours since eight workers got trapped inside Telangana’s Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel. Several agencies are working to evacuate trapped workers.

Telangana Tunnel Collapse Live: Multiple teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Army and other agencies continued their efforts on Tuesday even as hopes of finding survivors receding fast.

Telangana tunnel collapse live updates: Deputy CM Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka to visit SLBC tunnel on Tuesday. The operation to save the workers has been going on for 72 hours with all several agencies at work.

Telangana Tunnel Collapse Live: Around 350 personnel from the NDRF, SDRF, Indian Army, local police, and Indian Navy have been deployed to undertake the complex rescue operation.

Telangana Tunnel Collapse Live: Experts from the Geological Survey of India and National Geographical Research Institute are roped in to monitor the situation.

Visuals emerged from the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel where the rescue operation is underway to rescue eight workers trapped inside the tunnel after a portion of it collapsed last week. 

Telangana Tunnel Collapse Live: Despite relentless efforts by the rescue teams, no breakthrough has been achieved so far. Thick muck, tangled iron rods and cement blocks hindering operation.

Telangana Tunnel Collapse Live: Rescue operation enters day four for eight workers, including two engineers, trapped in a collapsed section of the Srisailam Left Bank Canal tunnel in Telangana.

Telangana Tunnel Collapse Live: 8 people trapped in Telangana mine, rescue officials are unable to contact them.

Telangana Tunnel Collapse Live: The rescue operation at the SLBC tunnel in Telangana’s Nagarkurnool district, where eight men have been trapped since Saturday morning, has become more difficult with heavy seepage of water and mud around.

Telangana Tunnel Collapse Live: Engineer Task Force (ETF) of Indian Army deployed it’s equipment and medical teams to clear debris and facilitate safe evacuation of trapped persons from the collapsed tunnel. Indian Army stands steadfast with all the locals and all stakeholders to ensue speedy rescue and saving lives.

Telangana Tunnel Collapse Live: A specialised team of rat miners, who played a crucial role in the Uttarakhand Silkyara Tunnel rescue, has been deployed for the ongoing SLBC Tunnel rescue operations.

Telangana Tunnel Collapse Live: Indian Navy MARCOS joined efforts to evacuate 8 workers trapped in a tunnel collapse at the Srisailam Left Bank Canal project in Telangana, Nagarkurnool.

Telangana Tunnel Collapse Live: A team of ‘rat miners’ from Jharkhand, known for their ability to tunnel through tiny spaces, arrived at the tunnel site on Monday. Rescue efforts to release 8 workers continue despite extreme challenges. 

Telangana Tunnel Collapse Live: Tunnel-boring machine, weighing several hundred tons, was nearly swept away by gushing water and had moved about 200 meters after the tunnel collapsed.