Rescue efforts are underway in the Nagarkurnool area, where the top of the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel collapsed on February 22.
The Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel collapse site in Nagarkurnool district, where eight workmen are still trapped after the tunnel ceiling collapsed on February 22, was visited by Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Sunday. Since the precise position of the stranded persons is still unknown, the CM voiced worries about the ongoing rescue effort.
Reddy gave an update on the situation during his visit, saying that rescuers have not yet been able to pinpoint the exact location of the people and the equipment that are trapped under the collapsed tunnel. “They have a preliminary understanding, but the exact location remains unclear,” he stated. Reddy did, however, reassure them that measures were being taken to speed up the rescue, including fixing the broken conveyor belt, which should help remove silt from the area. With the conveyor belt expected to be operating by Monday, this would greatly expedite the rescue effort.
Given the challenging conditions at the location, the CM also suggested using robots within the tunnel to protect rescue workers. He emphasized that the government is committed to finding a solution, which includes providing assistance to the families of the workers who are stranded.
Recently, the National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI) discovered many possible areas for the workers to be, and rat miners dug there. But thus far, these investigations have not turned up any indications of human presence. The CM stated that it may take an additional two to three days before the rescue effort reaches a critical stage because of the dirt and water that have impeded its progress within the tunnel.
Reddy, who visited the tunnel and spoke with rescue personnel, acknowledged the difficulties the team confronts but praised the agencies’ diligence. He emphasized that it would be premature to make assumptions in the absence of specific information from rescue personnel and declined to comment on the status of the stranded workers.
The goal of the much-delayed SLBC project is to help farmers in the Nalgonda area. The CM emphasized that the state government is committed to seeing the project through to completion, even in light of the delay imposed by the tunnel collapse. The previous administration, which was run by the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), was also criticized by him for ignoring the project and refusing to provide essential services like power, which led to the deterioration and final collapse.
Reddy used the occasion to accuse K. Chandrasekhar Rao, the president of BRS, of ignoring important irrigation projects, such as the SLBC. “The tunnel collapsed as a result of the previous government’s unfinished SLBC project. “Is this not a leadership failure?” he said.
There is some optimism in the ongoing search and rescue effort, as state authorities, including Excise Minister Jupally Krishna Rao, have acknowledged that radar equipment has assisted in locating the whereabouts of four of the eight stranded workers.
Teams are working nonstop to reach the stranded personnel, who include both engineers and laborers, while the rescue effort continues. The state administration has promised to take all necessary steps to protect the workers and support their families during this trying time.
