Telangana tunnel collapse: No contact established with trapped workers as rescue ops enter day 10

300 personnel, including 100 NDRF members, along with SDRF, Indian Army, and Singareni teams, are actively involved in the rescue efforts

Rescue teams involved in the Telangana tunnel collapse operation are inspecting locations identified by scientists for possible human presence, following a radar survey, as they only detected metals at other spots, officials said on Monday.

Rescue agencies said they are yet to make any contact with the trapped workers. Rescue efforts have been ongoing for 10 days to save eight workers, including engineers and labourers, from the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel in Nagarkurnool. National disaster response force (NDRF) Commandant VVN Prasanna Kumar said 12 teams are working nonstop to reach the trapped workers, but rescuers have not yet made contact with them. 

Approximately 300 personnel, including 100 NDRF members, along with SDRF, Indian Army, and Singareni teams, are actively involved in the rescue efforts. “The main hurdle for us is the TBM (Tunnel Boring Machine), which is a 1,500-ton machine that got damaged inside the tunnel, causing a major problem for us,” he said.

Scientists from the National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI) are also conducting a Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) survey inside to look for signs of human presence. The challenging conditions inside the tunnel, including slush and water, complicated the efforts of both rescue personnel and scientists.  Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, who visited the tunnel site on Sunday, held discussions with rescue officials, and said the exact location of eight trapped persons remains unknown and his government is taking all necessary steps to expedite the rescue efforts.

‘Govt did not give their all’ 

BRS MLC K Kavitha on Monday criticised Telangana government's efforts in connection with the operations. “This is an unfortunate incident where labourers from many states have been stuck. The rescue operation could have been carried out with better coordination. I feel that the state government did not give their all,” Kavitha said.

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