Rescue efforts are reaching a fever pitch as teams work tirelessly to save eight workers trapped inside the collapsed portion of the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel, located near Domalapenta in Telangana's Nagarkurnool district. The tunnel, which is currently under construction, saw part of its roof collapse on February 22, 2025, just days after work had resumed following an extended hiatus.
The collapse occurred at the 14 km mark of the tunnel, leaving workers trapped and prompting immediate rescue operations involving multiple agencies. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Indian Army, and Indian Navy have all been deployed to the site, aiming to reach those stranded as swiftly as possible.
According to reports from the NDRF, significant challenges have arisen during the rescue attempts. Deputy Commandant Sukhendu Datta explained, "We had reached till the end of the Tunnel Boring Machine, TBM. We shouted and tried to get any reply from the trapped workers but unfortunately we could not know anything because there is a patch of around 200 meters which is filled with debris. Till the debris is cleared, we cannot know the exact location of the victims.”
The last stretch of the tunnel has been inundated, complicting the rescue efforts. NDRF teams are hard at work draining accumulated water from the collapsed area, but conditions remain perilous. "Muck has piled up too high inside the tunnel, making it impossible to walk through. They (rescuers) are using rubber tubes and wooden planks to navigate through it," stated Telangana Minister J Krishna Rao, who has also been involved in the assessment of the situation inside the tunnel.
The trapped workers have been identified as Manoj Kumar and Sri Niwas from Uttar Pradesh, Sunny Singh from Jammu & Kashmir, Gurpreet Singh from Punjab, and Sandeep Sahu, Jegta Xess, Santosh Sahu, and Anuj Sahu from Jharkhand. Among these trapped individuals, some are reported to be engineers, notes another concerned official.
Rescue operations have also seen the involvement of medical teams to support potential survivors. Army and naval teams are actively engaged, employing heavy-duty pumping motors to mitigate the knee-deep water flooding the tunnel, which has impeded progress past the 12.2 km mark. Around 128 NDRF members and 120 SDRF personnel, complemented by 50 additional personnel, have been mobilized to intensify search efforts to extricate the trapped workers.
Despite progress, concerns grow as additional water and debris continue to complicate the search. Official accounts indicate no successful communication has been established with the missing workers for days, leading to increasing fears for their survival. “The chances for the workers’ survival seem bleak as the muck inside the tunnel has piled up high, making it difficult for rescue authorities to navigate and walk through the tunnel,” Minister Rao added during his recent visit to the site.
Efforts to lift the hope for these workers continue as authorities explore multiple avenues to navigate through the tunnel’s extensive damage. One suggested option involves drilling from above, alternative side drilling, and desilting within the collapsed area to facilitate rescue movement.
Indian Army officials maintain their commitment to ensuring the swift recovery of those trapped. "The Indian Army is working closely with all stakeholders for expediting the rescue efforts. Indian Army's priority remains the swift and safe extraction of those trapped inside," read their public statement.
Rescue teams now face significant pressure to expedite their operations and maintain the safety of all personnel involved. The situation continues to evolve, with updates expected as new strategies are employed to rescue the remaining workers from this tough situation. Families affected are left waiting for news, filled with anxiety and hope, as the operation continues.