Nagarkurnool (Telangana) [India], February 24 (ANI): Endoscopic and robotic cameras on Monday were brought to the Nagarkurnool (SLBC) tunnel for the rescue operation. The NDRF Dog squad has also been deployed to assist in the operation.
A rescue operation has been underway since Sunday morning for the eight labourers trapped inside the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel after a portion collapsed on February 22. Speaking to ANI, L&T’s endoscopic operator Dowdeep said, “Through the endoscopic camera, we can track what is happening inside the tunnel. We have done this during the rescue operation in Uttarakhand as well. Two teams have come. Endoscopic and robotic cameras have been brought.”
The response force is currently working to remove the accumulated water inside the tunnel. Speaking to ANI, BJP leader Rachna Reddy said, “The SLBC tunnel collapse in Nagarno, Telangana, is tragic. The tunnel is about 14 kilometres long, and around 8 to 9 people, including labourers, employees, and some international workers, are trapped inside. The Indian government has provided all necessary support, including two fully equipped and trained NDRF teams. These teams are working to find the most efficient way to access the tunnel and rescue those trapped inside. Though it has been two days, and hope is dwindling, there are still hopes that the trapped people may be alive due to air pockets inside the tunnel. The Telangana government, along with the Indian government, is doing everything possible to prevent this from becoming a larger tragedy.”
However, due to debris blocking the area, the team has not yet been able to confirm their exact ‘location’, as confirmed by NDRF officials with ANI. Speaking to ANI, NDRF Deputy Commandant Sukhendu Datta said the force had covered around 13.5 kilometres inside the tunnel, primarily using locomotives and conveyor belts. “Yesterday around 10 PM, we went inside to check what the situation was like. The locomotives were used to enter the tunnel. From the gate of the tunnel, we covered a total of around 13.5 km. We covered 11 km by train and then the rest of 2 km by conveyor belt and by walking,” Datta said.
The official added that the last 200 meters of the collapsed section are entirely blocked by debris, making it difficult to confirm the condition or exact location of the trapped workers. On Saturday morning, a three-meter section of the roof of an under-construction stretch of the SLBC tunnel collapsed at the 14 km mark near Domalapenta in Nagarkurnool district, Telangana. The collapse occurred just four days after construction work had resumed following a lengthy hiatus. While some workers managed to escape, the eight remained trapped. (ANI)
