Telangana tunnel collapse: 72 hours on, no contact with 8 trapped workers as rescue intensifies

Rescue operations at the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel collapse site in Telangana’s Nagarkurnool district have entered the fourth day, with no contact established with the eight workers trapped since Saturday morning. A concrete segment gave way around 13.5 km inside the 14-km tunnel, leading to a roof collapse that trapped engineers and laborers inside. Heavy waterlogging and debris have hindered rescue efforts.

A 12-member rat-hole miner team from Delhi and Uttar Pradesh, known for their role in the Uttarakhand Silkyara tunnel rescue, has arrived to assist. Team leader Munna Qureshi confirmed their arrival, stating, “We have reached here and will first assess the situation inside before planning the operation.” Officials are working to clear the locomotive track inside the tunnel to transport equipment needed for further rescue operations.

Indian Army, Navy, NDRF, SDRF, and Geological Survey of India (GSI) experts are engaged in rescue efforts. Dewatering and slush removal are ongoing, but 40-50 meters of blocked passage remains a major challenge. Nagarkurnool Police Superintendent Vaibhav Gaikwad stated, “As of now, the rescue teams are trying to clear the path for the locomotive to reach the spot of the mishap. Dewatering is going on continuously.” Officials said the boring machine’s front section, where the workers are likely trapped, is covered in thick mud and debris, making access difficult.

Rescue teams have deployed robotic and endoscopic cameras to assess conditions inside, while an NDRF dog squad is aiding operations. The trapped workers have been identified as Manoj Kumar and Sri Niwas (Uttar Pradesh), Sunny Singh (J&K), Gurpreet Singh (Punjab), and Sandeep Sahu, Jegta Xess, Santosh Sahu, and Anuj Sahu (Jharkhand). Of the eight, two are engineers, two operators, and four laborers. L&T experts, along with teams from the National Geographical Research Institute (NGRI), have joined the operation.

Relatives of at least two trapped workers, Jitu Sahu (father of Sandeep Sahu) and Satyanarayana Sahu (uncle of Santosh Sahu), have arrived from Jharkhand. Telangana Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy assured, “We are doing everything possible to rescue the eight stranded workers.” However, Minister J Krishna Rao stated, “The chances of their survival are very, very, very, very remote… When we shouted their names, there was no response.”

With over 72 hours elapsed, officials continue to clear the remaining debris and twisted tunnel boring machine parts. The focus remains on pumping oxygen inside, clearing blocked sections, and reaching the exact location of the trapped workers.