Nagarkurnool, Telangana (March 1) – Rescue operations intensified Saturday as teams raced against time to reach eight workers trapped for over a week inside the partially collapsed Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel. Officials confirmed that crews are cutting down parts of a Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) to clear a path toward the stranded individuals.
Since February 22, when the tunnel roof collapsed, trapping eight workers—including two engineers and six labourers—rescue personnel have worked tirelessly, battling challenging conditions underground. 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, all from Jharkhand.
Nagarkurnool Superintendent of Police Vaibhav Gaikwad confirmed the rescue operations are proceeding continuously. "On Saturday morning, a rescue team entered the tunnel. Efforts involving dewatering and debris removal are progressing simultaneously," said Gaikwad, highlighting the complexity of the mission.
Over 500 highly skilled rescue personnel from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Indian Army, Indian Navy, Singareni Collieries, rat miners, and other specialized agencies are collaborating to expedite the operations.
“Every obstacle in our path, including dismantling parts of the Tunnel Boring Machine, is being systematically removed,” Gaikwad further explained.
A damaged conveyor belt, another obstacle hindering rescue efforts, was expected to be repaired by Saturday evening, authorities noted.
Two engineers and four of the labourers were employed by Jaiprakash Associates, the contracting firm executing the SLBC tunnel project.
Meanwhile, senior Telangana government officials—including Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy, Excise Minister Jupally Krishna Rao, and Chief Secretary Santhi Kumari—departed to visit the accident site to oversee the ongoing rescue operation personally.
The situation remains critical, and rescue efforts continue around the clock, reinforcing hopes for a successful extraction.
