Nagarkurnool, Telangana, February 26 – Jaiprakash Gaur, the Founder Chairman of Jaypee Group, addressed the media on Wednesday regarding the recent tunnel collapse at the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) project, which left eight individuals trapped. The nonagenarian expressed that such accidents are an inherent risk in complex construction projects.
Jaypee Associates Ltd, the flagship company of Jaypee Group, was awarded the contract for tunnel boring at the SLBC project. Speaking at the accident site after meeting Telangana Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, Gaur reflected on his career, acknowledging past incidents in other challenging projects.
Rescue Efforts Underway for Trapped Workers
Gaur assured that the teams are making all efforts to rescue the trapped individuals. Among the eight trapped persons, two engineers and four laborers were working for Jaiprakash Associates.According to the company's stock exchange filing on February 23, a total of 60 people, including engineers, technicians, operators, and the Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) in-charge, were present at the site on February 22, between 10 AM and 11 AM.
The incident unfolded when the shift in-charge detected suspicious sounds and ordered an evacuation, allowing many to escape before a sudden collapse filled the tunnel with water, stones, sludge, and mud over a stretch of 300 meters. However, eight workers, including two officers, were unable to escape.
Authorities, including district administration and emergency response teams, continue their rescue operations to retrieve the trapped individuals safely.
The SLBC project aims to enhance irrigation facilities by diverting Krishna River water to drought-prone areas in Telangana. The tunnel collapse has raised concerns over safety measures in large-scale infrastructure projects.
