Telangana tunnel collapse: 72 hours on, rescuers scramble to inch forward, no contact with trapped men
On Tuesday, efforts are on to clear the locomotive track so that equipment for dewatering and slush removal can be taken to the site of the collapse. A path is also being cleared to take earthmoving machines into the tunnel.
3 min readHyderabadUpdated: Feb 25, 2025 04:34 PM IST
Visuals of the collapsed portion of the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel, in which at least eight workers are still trapped. (Photos: SDRF via ANI)
Three days after eight men got trapped inside the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel in Telangana’s Nagarkurnool district, a multi-agency team is working on clearing the locomotive track inside the tunnel with the aim of using it to transport equipment for further rescue operations.
The eight men were trapped on Saturday morning when a portion of the tunnel collapsed around 13.5 kilometres inside. Water and slush at the collapse site have prevented rescuers from getting to the trapped men so far.
On Tuesday, efforts are on to clear the locomotive track so that equipment for dewatering and slush removal can be taken to the site of the collapse. A path is also being cleared to take earthmoving machines into the tunnel.
Nagarkurnool Police Superintendent Vaibhav Gaikwad told The Indian Express on Tuesday that no contact has been established with the eight men trapped inside.
“As of now, the rescue teams are trying to clear the path for the locomotive to reach the spot of the mishap. There are challenges in operating heavy machines to clear the mud at the spot, although a bulldozer has been pressed into service there. Dewatering is going on continuously. They are removing whatever debris they can. Removing parts of the twisted and mangled tunnel boring machine is proving to be a challenging task,” Gaikwad said.
Officials said reaching the front portion of the boring machine is the key as that is where the eight men are likely to be trapped, but it is proving to be difficult as it is covered with a thick layer of mud and debris.
Relatives of at least two of the eight men will be reaching the SLBC site later on Tuesday. Jitu Sahu, father of construction worker Sandeep Sahu, and Satyanarayana Sahu, uncle of construction worker Santosh Sahu, will arrive from Jharkhand.
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Meanwhile, a team of 12 rat-hole miners from Delhi and Uttar Pradesh, who were lauded for their efforts in the rescue of 41 workers trapped in Uttarakhand’s Silkyara tunnel in 2023, have also reached the SLBC tunnel site, The Indian Express has learnt.
Sreenivas Janyala is a Deputy Associate Editor at The Indian Express, where he serves as one of the most authoritative voices on the socio-political and economic landscape of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. With a career spanning over two decades in mainstream journalism, he provides deep-dive analysis and frontline reporting on the intricate dynamics of South Indian governance.
Expertise and Experience
Regional Specialization: Based in Hyderabad, Sreenivas has spent more than 20 years documenting the evolution of the Telugu-speaking states. His reporting was foundational during the historic Telangana statehood movement and continues to track the post-bifurcation development of both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
Key Coverage Beats: His extensive portfolio covers a vast spectrum of critical issues:
High-Stakes Politics: Comprehensive tracking of regional powerhouses (BRS, TDP, YSRCP, and Congress), electoral shifts, and the political careers of figures like K. Chandrashekar Rao, Chandrababu Naidu, and Jagan Mohan Reddy.
Internal Security & Conflict: Authoritative reporting on Left-Wing Extremism (LWE), the decline of the Maoist movement in former hotbeds, and intelligence-led investigations into regional security modules.
Governance & Infrastructure: Detailed analysis of massive irrigation projects (like Kaleshwaram and Polavaram), capital city developments (Amaravati), and the implementation of state welfare schemes.
Crisis & Health Reporting: Led the publication's ground-level coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic in South India and major industrial incidents, such as the Vizag gas leak.
Analytical Depth: Beyond daily news, Sreenivas is known for his "Explained" pieces that demystify complex regional disputes, such as river water sharing and judicial allocations between the sister states. ... Read More
