Robots May Join Rescue Efforts as Telangana Tunnel Operation Reaches Day 10

Hyderabad- Officials are considering deploying robots as the rescue mission for eight workers trapped in the partially collapsed Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel entered its tenth day on Monday in Telangana's Nagarkurnool district.

Rescue teams continue to face significant challenges including water seepage while working at locations identified through Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) scans conducted by the National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI). The absence of a working conveyor belt has hampered efforts to remove silt, water, and debris from the tunnel. Technical teams expect to have the belt operational by Monday evening, which should accelerate the rescue process.

During his visit to the site on Sunday, Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy proposed using robotic technology to prevent further casualties. "Eight missing persons have not yet been traced. Experts have not concluded whether they are alive or dead," Reddy stated, adding that it might take another two to three days before rescuers can reach a definitive conclusion.

The Chief Minister noted that while rescue agencies have tentatively identified possible locations, they haven't been able to precisely determine where the trapped workers or machinery might be. He pledged full government support for the families of the eight workers, who came from various states to work as engineers, machine operators, and laborers.

The accident occurred on February 22 when part of the tunnel roof collapsed at the 14-kilometer mark, injuring two workers and trapping eight others. The missing include Manoj Kumar and Sri Niwas from Uttar Pradesh, Sunny Singh from Jammu & Kashmir, Gurpreet Singh from Punjab, and four workers from Jharkhand: Sandeep Sahu, Jegta Xess, Santosh Sahu, and Anuj Sahau. They were employed by Jaiprakash Associates, the tunnel project's contracting firm.

Multiple agencies including the Army, Navy, NDRF, SDRF, Singareni Mines Rescue, Fire Services, HYDRAA, South Central Railway plasma cutters, and specialized Rat Miners are participating in the rescue operation.