Nagarkurnool, Telangana, February 24, 2025: A massive rescue operation is underway in Nagarkurnool district of Telangana following the collapse of a section of the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel on February 22. Eight workers were trapped in the tunnel, located around 14 kilometers inside. Continuous attempts by the Indian Army, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) have not borne any good results due to challenging conditions.
Deployment of Specialized Rat Miners
To augment the rescue efforts, specialized rat miners from Delhi have been inducted. These miners are reputed for their skill in maneuvering through confined underground spaces and were instrumental in the success of the Uttarkashi tunnel collapse rescue in Uttarakhand in October 2024.
According to lead miner Firoz Qureshi, “We have come from Delhi…we are going entry with the NDRF and SDRF teams. Only after that we can come to know what is the situation.” Due to water accumulation and debris within the tunnel, the team faces substantial challenges.
Challenges Faced In Rescue Operations
These rescue teams are countering extremely difficult challenges, namely, waterlogging, silt accumulation and structural debris. As per reports from inside, the natural rock formations inside the tunnel broke loose and within no time water and mud struck in the tunnel, filling around 12-13 feet of it. So it was extremely dangerous inside due to one-time sludge and slow movements of rescue teams.
District Collector Badhavath Santhosh adds that “dewatering activities are being done. The Indian Army, along with NDRF and SDRF, are going to get in with more equipment. Our major focus will be on rescuing the workers trapped inside.”
Life-Saving Technological Aids
This equipment was utilized in the rescue mission to locate and reach the workers who were trapped. The use of endoscopic cameras and robotic visual cameras provide visual assessments of the internal condition of the tunnel.
Sniffers can also be used; unfortunately, the challenging conditions inside the tunnel have limited their effectiveness. These combination devices are looking for the exact location of the trapped and feasibility of ways to rescue them.
Statements by Officials and Experts
Telangana Minister Jupally Krishna Rao expressed doubt about the chances of attaining success in a rescue. He said, “To be fair, the chances for them to survive are indeed, I would say, remote. This, of course, I’m saying since I’ve been up to the end, just 50 meters short the place of incidence.”
In spite of the darkness, teams of crews continue with the good hope of bringing resuscitation to the trapped workers because of the creative will which is a very strong thing to the last.
Incident Background
The cave-in occurred in the morning of February 22 when a three-meter section of the tunnel had fallen off near Domalapenta.
The trapped workers were identified as Manoj Kumar and Sri Niwas from Uttar Pradesh, Sunny Singh from Jammu and Kashmir, Gurpreet Singh from Punjab, and Sandeep Sahu and two workers, Jegta Xess, and Anuj Sahu, in Jharkhand. The incident has also revealed fault-blame issues concerning safety standards and quality of service in ongoing aviation infrastructure projects in the region.
Social Response
Families of the trapped workers and the local people are anxiously awaiting any news. They are gathering in their hundreds near the site, praying for their release and the safety of their loved ones. The tragedy hid from the glaring eye all the talk of labor protection in such hazardous sectors and a reminder about the implementation of safety rules.
