SLBC Tunnel Collapse: Rescue op to take 2 more days while teams go through silt blockage

Hyderabad: Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy on Wednesday said that the rescue teams at the collapsed SLBC tunnel will go through the silt to reach the trapped eight workers faster. He said the entire rescue operation to free the men from inside the tunnel, which partially collapsed on Saturday, will be completed in two days.

Uttam, along with his Cabinet colleague Komatireddy Venkat Reddy and officials from the Army, NDRF, SDRF and others discussed the situation and assessed the risks involved for everyone involved.

“After discussing the entire operation with all of the officials—including those from the NDRF, Army, SDRF, district collector and superintendent of police—we have developed a clear plan of action on Wednesday that calls for us to proceed into the silt (in the tunnel). Right now, we’re hoping to finish the entire process in two days. After deciding on a course of action and a timeline, we will proceed,” Uttam told the media.

Rescue teams have the best experts in tunnel building

According to the minister, the rescue operation was slowed on Tuesday to ensure the safety of the rescue teams. The collapsed tunnel will continue to be dewatered, and the Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) stuck inside will be disassembled and removed using gas cutters. He clarified that the Army, Navy, rat miners and the NDRF personnel will thereafter make another concerted attempt to save the eight missing people without endangering the lives of the rescuers.

The teams were able to reach up to the accident spot inside the tunnel using a thermal fishing boat.

“The State government has consulted with the best experts who have experience building tunnels at border areas, retired army officials and people who participated in rescue operations wherever tunnel accidents happened,” he said.

Responding to a question about the trapped workers and if they are still alive, he said, “Our hopes are that they are still alive and well. We are continuing our work with an intention to save them and bring them out.”

Sniffer dogs to be used to locate trapped men

Nagarkurnool District Collector B Santhosh said that rescuers would employ sniffer dogs to find the people who were trapped in the Srisailam Left Bank Canal tunnel in Telangana, where sludge had solidified and collapsed trapping eight people.

The collector also stated that the National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI) is anticipated to provide their opinion on soil stabilisation and other concerns regarding the action plan.

“There was a 40-meter obstacle at first (from the accident spot) and sludge was present. But now, to the greatest extent possible, that has crystallised. For the squad to reach the scene of the accident, we have also called in a sniffer dog. With the dog’s help, we will try to locate (the trapped),” the collector said, and added that the priority is to locate the individuals.

The collector stated that the officials anticipate the conveyor belt to be operational today and that additional space must be made at the Tunnel Boring Machine for excavation. The team which reached the exact accident site last night tried to communicate with the trapped persons but there was no response, he added.