Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy on Saturday regarding the rescue operation for workers trapped in the collapsed section of the SLBC tunnel. He assured full support from the Centre in the efforts.
Telangana Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy said that eight workers were trapped after a portion of the roof caved in at an under-construction section of the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel in Nagarkurnool district. Rescue operations are underway.
A section of the tunnel’s roof collapsed in Nagarkurnool district, trapping eight people inside. Telangana Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy said the workers were stranded 14 kilometers inside the tunnel.
Those trapped include two engineers, two machine operators, and four workers, according to PTI.
Reddy briefed Modi on the ongoing rescue efforts, according to a release from the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO). The prime minister assured him that a National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team would be dispatched immediately and promised full support from the Centre.
Speaking from the accident site, Uttam Kumar Reddy said the state government has sought help from the Indian Army and NDRF, along with experts who had assisted in rescuing workers from a similar tunnel collapse in Uttarakhand last year.
According to other workers at the site, water and soil seepage started slowly before intensifying, forcing many to evacuate. However, those working ahead of a boring machine inside the tunnel were trapped, PTI reported.
Reddy added that workers inside the tunnel heard a loud sound and sensed some “geological disturbance” before the collapse.
“The ventilation system inside the tunnel remains functional, ensuring oxygen supply to the trapped workers,” Reddy posted on X. “Ambulances and medical teams are on high alert, with doctors ready to provide emergency care.”
To aid in the rescue efforts, the Telangana government has deployed a 19-member team from state-run coal mining company Singareni Collieries Company Ltd (SCCL).
SCCL Chairman and Managing Director N Balram told PTI that the company has the expertise and equipment needed for such operations.
“SCCL has the necessary expertise to handle critical situations such as roof collapses. We also have specialized equipment imported from Australia, the USA, and Poland,” Balram said. “Our advanced machinery and rock cutters can break through massive rocks and boulders within minutes.”
(With inputs from PTI)
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