Why Hopes Are Fading for 8 Trapped Telangana Workers | Minister Explains

Hyderabad: As rescue efforts continue for the eight workers trapped in the collapsed SLBC tunnel in Telangana’s Nagarkurnool district, state Minister Jupally Krishna Rao has given a grim update, stating that their chances of survival are "very remote." He further emphasized that clearing the debris and reaching the trapped workers may take at least three to four days, making the operation increasingly challenging.

"To be honest, the chances of their survival are very, very, very, very remote," Krishna Rao told PTI. "We shouted their names, but there was no response… so, there seems to be no chance at all."

The eight missing individuals, trapped under debris and muck for over 48 hours, have been identified as Manoj Kumar and Sri Niwas (Uttar Pradesh), Sunny Singh (Jammu and Kashmir), Gurpreet Singh (Punjab), and Sandeep Sahu, Jegta Xess, Santosh Sahu, and Anuj Sahu (Jharkhand). Among them, two are engineers, two operators, and four are laborers.

Massive Rescue Operation Underway

A 584-member rescue team, including personnel from the Indian Army, Navy, NDRF, SDRF, and Singareni Collieries, has been working tirelessly to remove thick muck, tangled iron rods, and cement blocks obstructing access to the accident site. Sniffer dogs were also deployed but were unable to move forward due to the waterlogged tunnel conditions.

The Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM), which weighs several hundred tons, was swept nearly 200 meters away following the collapse, further complicating the rescue. Krishna Rao pointed out the lack of oxygen in the lower part of the tunnel, questioning whether any of the trapped workers could still be alive despite continuous oxygen pumping and dewatering efforts.

Political Row Erupts Over Rescue Efforts

The tragedy has sparked a political controversy, with BRS Working President KT Rama Rao criticizing Chief Minister Revanth Reddy for being absent from the accident site while actively campaigning for the MLC elections. Defending the state government, Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy hit back, saying the opposition had also failed to visit similar past tragedies, including the Kaleshwaram project accident.

Despite the bleak outlook, CM Revanth Reddy has instructed officials to leave no stone unturned in the ongoing rescue efforts. Experts from across the country, including rat miners who had successfully rescued trapped workers in Uttarakhand's Silkyara Tunnel in 2023, have joined the operation.

Family Members Hopeful

As efforts continue, family members and co-workers of the trapped individuals remain hopeful, praying for a miracle as rescuers race against time. The family members of four workers from Jharkhand have left for the southern state on Monday.

"Under the leadership of Gumla district administration, one member each from four families and a police officer left for Telangana from Birsa Munda Airport," the Chief Minister’s Office said in a post on X.

The family members were sent to Telangana upon the directives of Chief Minister Hemant Soren, according to an official statement.

Earlier, Soren had said that state officials were in constant touch with their counterparts in Telangana for updates on the situation.

Regular reports are being sought about the rescue operations, the statement added.