Rescue operations at the collapsed Srisailam Left Bank Canal tunnel in Telangana entered the sixth day on Thursday, with teams working tirelessly to reach the eight trapped workers. Despite ongoing efforts, a breakthrough remains elusive, as debris and silt continue to hinder progress.
Multiple agencies, including the Army, Navy, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and expert rat miners—who played a key role in the Uttarkashi tunnel rescue in 2023—are at the site. The teams have begun cutting parts of the Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) and other obstructions that have made access to the trapped workers difficult.
Rescue Operations Face Challenges
Nagarkurnool Superintendent of Police Vaibhav Gaikwad stated that the damaged conveyor belt in the tunnel was expected to be repaired on Thursday, allowing debris to be transported out more efficiently.
“Yes, gas cutting machines have already gone inside, and work started last night,” Mr. Gaikwad told PTI. However, he cautioned that it was difficult to predict whether the rescue would be completed within the day.
The tunnel collapsed 14 km inside, and while initial progress was promising, thick silt deposits measuring 7-9 meters high in the final 40-meter stretch have posed a major challenge.
Following a high-level meeting with tunnel experts and Telangana ministers Uttam Kumar Reddy and Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, the state government has developed a concrete plan to expedite the rescue. Dewatering and desilting operations have been initiated to remove the sludge blocking access to the trapped workers.
Rescue Mission Could Take Two More Days
Irrigation Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy assured that authorities are exploring alternate access routes and making every effort to speed up the rescue.
“We now have a well-defined plan,” he said, adding that teams are approaching from different sides to increase the chances of a successful rescue.
“The assessment yesterday was that rescuers themselves would be at great risk if they entered. But now, we are moving with greater speed to ensure the survival of those trapped. We hope to complete the operation in two days,” the minister added.
Concerns Over Worker Exodus
The tunnel collapse has raised concerns among other workers at the Srisailam Left Bank Canal project, where nearly 800 laborers—including 300 locals and others from Jharkhand, Odisha, Punjab, and Uttar Pradesh—are employed.
There have been reports of some workers wanting to leave the site following the accident. However, a senior government official stated that no mass exodus has been reported so far.
“Initial panic is understandable. Some individuals may want to return home, but the company has provided residential camps for workers, and operations are continuing as planned,” the official added.
Rescuers are working against time to bring them out safely, as families anxiously await news of their loved ones.
Sources By Agencies
