Nagarkurnool, Telangana – February 27: Rescue operations in the partially collapsed Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel have entered a critical phase as teams deploy gas-cutting equipment to clear obstacles and reach the eight underground workers for over five days. Authorities are now cutting through parts of the tunnel boring machine (TBM) and other debris obstructing access to the victims.
Nagarkurnool Superintendent of Police (SP) Vaibhav Gaikwad confirmed that gas-cutting machines were used overnight to remove the damaged sections. Efforts are also underway to repair the conveyor belt inside the tunnel, which is crucial for eliminating debris and facilitating the rescue process.
Telangana Irrigation Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy assured that the rescue and relief operation would conclude within two days. “In two or three months, we will restart and complete the SLBC project in record time. This was a natural accident, and all necessary steps are being taken to clear the debris and rescue those trapped,” he stated.
He further emphasized that national and international tunnel experts, along with specialized rescue teams from the Army, Navy, Rat Miners, and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), are working in a coordinated manner to ensure the safety of the trapped individuals and the rescue personnel.
Panic Among Workers, Authorities Address Concerns
Following the accident, some workers reportedly expressed fears and started leaving the site. A senior government official revealed that out of 800 workers engaged in the SLBC project, 300 are from Telangana, while the rest hail from Jharkhand, Odisha, and Uttar Pradesh. While acknowledging concerns among laborers, the official assured them that residential camps were set up to accommodate them and that there would be no large-scale exodus.Political Tensions at the Site
Tensions escalated at the project location when Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) legislator T Harish Rao and party leaders attempted to visit the tunnel but were initially stopped by the police. This led to a protest, with BRS leaders staging a sit-in on the road. Eventually, authorities permitted six leaders to proceed up to the tunnel.Addressing the media, Harish Rao criticized the Telangana government for its alleged inaction over the past six days. However, Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy dismissed these claims, asserting that the opposition was engaging in "cheap politics" and that the government was fully committed to the rescue mission.
Trapped Workers Identified
The eight trapped individuals have been identified as:- Manoj Kumar (Uttar Pradesh)
- Sri Niwas (Uttar Pradesh)
- Sunny Singh (Jammu & Kashmir)
- Gurpreet Singh (Punjab)
- Sandeep Sahu, Jegta Xess, Santosh Sahu, and Anuj Sahau (all from Jharkhand)
Rescue teams continue their high-risk efforts, hoping to reach the trapped individuals as soon as the clock ticks on this critical mission.
