It has been over 72 hours since eight workers became trapped inside the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel in Telangana following a collapse on Saturday morning. Despite relentless rescue efforts by the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), the Indian Army, and expert teams, no major breakthrough has been achieved so far.
Rescue Efforts Intensify but No Contact Yet
Experts from the Geological Survey of India (GSI) and the National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI) have joined the operation, assisting rescue teams in navigating through the debris blocking access to the workers. However, District Collector B Santhosh confirmed that no communication has been established with the trapped workers yet.
"As of now, we are unable to reach the last 40-50 meters of the blocked section. Despite continuous dewatering, the passage remains obstructed. We are consulting experts from GSI, NGRI, and L&T," he told PTI.
Families Await News as Rescue Teams Battle Against Time
Four of the trapped workers hail from Jharkhand, and their family members have left for Telangana with police support, as per Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s office. Meanwhile, a specialized team of 'rat miners,' known for their role in the 2023 Uttarakhand Silkyara tunnel rescue, has been deployed to assess the situation and plan the next course of action.
Advanced Equipment Deployed
Robotic and endoscopic cameras, along with an NDRF dog squad, have been introduced to inspect conditions inside the tunnel. Rescue visuals show workers navigating through massive piles of debris in a desperate attempt to reach those trapped.
Bleak Survival Chances, Says Telangana Minister
As rescue efforts continue, the chances of survival for the trapped workers appear increasingly grim. Telangana Minister J Krishna Rao delivered a heartbreaking assessment:
"To be honest, their chances of survival are very, very, very remote. The tunnel's 9-meter diameter is now blocked by nearly 25 feet of mud. When we called out their names, there was no response… so there is no chance at all," he told PTI.
The trapped workers have been identified as Manoj Kumar and Sri Niwas from Uttar Pradesh, Sunny Singh from Jammu & Kashmir, Gurpreet Singh from Punjab, and Sandeep Sahu, Jegta Xess, Santosh Sahu, and Anuj Sahu from Jharkhand. Among them are engineers, operators, and laborers.
