Telangana government has implemented a clear-cut plan of action to speed up the rescue operation for eight stranded miners in the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel, said Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy on Wednesday. The operation was intensified by cutting obstacles, placing sophisticated equipment, and digging up alternative approaches. Officials intend to finish the task within two days.
#SLBCTunnelCollapse – #Nagarkurnool
The #RescueOperation underway at the #Srisailam Left Bank Canal (#SLBC) tunnel to bring out the 8 workers trapped inside the #tunnel , for the past 5 days after its portion collapsed on 22nd February. pic.twitter.com/wlSy7UxOVo
— Media5Zone News (@media5zone) February 27, 2025
Cutting Obstacles and Debris Clearing
Rescue officials began dismantling sections of the tunnel boring machine (TBM) and other debris blocking the way to the trapped miners. Gas-cutting equipment was brought into the tunnel, and efforts went on late into the night. Nagarkurnool Superintendent of Police Vaibhav Gaikwad verified that a mangled section of the conveyor belt in the tunnel would be restored to speed up debris removal.
“Yes, already (gas cutting machines went inside). (even during) Nights they cut. Yes, already started last night,” the official said to PTI.
Rescuers Making Way to Find Trapped Miners
Minister Reddy admitted that the rescue efforts had been slowed down on Tuesday for the safety of the responders. But now the authorities have resolved to proceed aggressively. The rescuers will go into the tunnel filled with silt to locate the trapped persons, and alternative routes of access are being sought to access the TBM safely.
“The entire operation has been discussed with all the officials including NDRF, Army, SDRF, District Collector, and SP…we have planned a step-by-step procedure today that we will proceed inside the silt (in the tunnel). We are now hopeful that we shall be able to finish the entire operation within two days. We have planned our course of action and fixed the timeline, and now we shall proceed,” Reddy said.
Intensive Dewatering to Drain Muddy Water
The major challenge in the rescue operation has been the large amount of muddy water, hindering access to the TBM. To mitigate this, the state government has intensively enhanced dewatering operations with sophisticated machinery to enable quick water removal.
Authorities are employing advanced imaging equipment for real-time monitoring of SLBC tunnel conditions. Structural stability is being monitored continuously by experts to ensure that rescue operations can continue without the risk of further collapses.
The rescue strategy is to cut the buried TBM into manageable pieces so that it can be removed more easily. Once this has been done, an integrated force of Army, Navy, Rat Miners, and NDRF members will again attempt to access the buried workers while taking care to keep themselves safe.
Expert Consultation for Effective Execution
The Telangana government has also taken advice from leading experts, including experienced tunnel builders in border regions, retired Army officers, and professionals who have worked in earlier tunnel rescue efforts across the globe. Their services are being utilized to fine-tune the tactics used in this rescue operation.
As sludge within the tunnel starts to solidify, rescuers have now made up their minds to use sniffer dogs to find the trapped people. District Collector B Santhosh has confirmed that this technique is being integrated into the search operation.
“So we have a sniffer dog. We will take it. So with the dog’s help, we will try to locate (the trapped),” the collector said, further adding that finding the people is still the priority.
No Response from Buried Workers
A specialized team of rescue personnel arrived at the site of the accident last evening and tried to communicate with the buried workers. But there has not been any response yet, which has raised fears about their condition. During the day, Superintendent of Police Vaibhav Gaikwad stated that a 20-member team of NDRF, SDRF, and Rat Miners had reached the last known positions inside the tunnel.
Background: SLBC Tunnel Collapse
The SLBC tunnel mishap took place on February 22 when a part of the tunnel caved in, engulfing eight project workers. Ever since incessant rescue operations have been in progress to bring them out safely.
The state government is optimistic that the new efforts, such as breaking through debris, quick dewatering, and expert solutions, will culminate in a successful rescue in the next two days.
