February 23, 2025: A major rescue operation is underway in Telangana’s Nagarkurnool district after a tunnel roof collapsed, leaving eight workers trapped under nearly 200 meters of debris. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) have been deployed, and the Army’s Engineer Task Force (ETF) has also joined the mission to locate and rescue the missing workers.
The collapse occurred on Saturday at the 14-km inlet of the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel, triggered by the slippage of a concrete segment that was being used to seal seepage. The trapped individuals include two engineers from an infrastructure firm, two operators from a US-based company, and four laborers hailing from Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Punjab, and Jammu & Kashmir. Rescue teams are facing significant challenges as a large section of the tunnel, between the 11-13 km mark, is filled with water, preventing the immediate clearing of debris. NDRF Deputy Commander Sukhendu stated that debris removal can only begin once the water is pumped out.
Telangana Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy visited the accident site and confirmed that experts involved in last year’s Uttarakhand tunnel rescue have been roped in to assist. Meanwhile, the state-owned Singareni Collieries Company Ltd has sent a team of 19 specialists to aid in the rescue mission. Drones and advanced boring machines are being used to assess the situation and navigate through the wreckage.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached out to Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, inquiring about the incident and assuring full support from the Centre. Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, also spoke with the Chief Minister, appreciating the government's swift response and urging them to leave no stone unturned in rescuing the trapped workers. The state government has been maintaining real-time communication with rescue officials, and medical relief is being arranged for those injured in the accident.
With multiple agencies working against time, rescue teams are hopeful that their efforts will lead to the safe retrieval of the trapped workers.