Telangana Tunnel Collapse: Rescue Teams Redraw Strategy to Save Trapped Workers

Hyderabad: Rescue teams continue their relentless efforts to save eight workers trapped in a collapsed tunnel in Telangana’s Nagarkurnool district.

The collapse, which occurred three days ago, has left authorities re-strategizing to reach the trapped individuals in the last stretch of 40-50 meters. Multiple challenges, including the unstable condition of the tunnel and malfunctioning equipment, are hindering the rescue operation.

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Experts and Agencies Join Forces for Rescue Operations

To overcome these obstacles, experts from the Geological Survey of India (GSI), the National Geographical Research Institute (NGRI), and the National Remote Sensing Agency (NRSA) have been brought in to assess the situation and provide guidance on the next steps.

Teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Army, Larsen & Toubro (L&T), and other agencies are working cautiously, ensuring that the tunnel’s stability is maintained during excavation.

Despite ongoing dewatering operations, the rescue teams are awaiting further directions from experts. Agencies, including the Army, Navy, and SDRF, have mapped out a detailed diagram of the tunnel and have prepared a comprehensive rescue strategy.

Challenges and Malfunctioning Equipment

One of the key hurdles the teams face is the malfunction of the conveyor belt, which is responsible for carrying debris out of the tunnel. Minister for Roads and Buildings, Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, confirmed that efforts are underway to repair the belt.

Advanced equipment, such as endoscopic and robotic cameras, which could help trace the trapped workers, have not yielded results. The robotic camera has malfunctioned, complicating the search efforts.

Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) Damage and Rescue Delays

The collapse of the tunnel caused significant damage to the Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM), which broke into two after a portion of the roof collapsed on the morning of February 22.

The tail unit of the TBM was found 50 meters from the end of the 14-kilometer-long tunnel, and the head portion of the tunnel had a safe container for workers to take shelter in emergencies. However, it remains unclear if the trapped workers managed to enter the shelter before the collapse and increased water seepage.

The area where the collapse occurred has been filled with sediment and debris, further delaying rescue operations. Additionally, the drone used for aerial surveillance was unable to access the area beyond the TBM tail unit.

Rescue Teams Make Difficult Progress

Despite these challenges, the NDRF team has deployed a trained sniffer dog to aid the operation, although the dog has not been able to assist due to the slush inside the tunnel.

Moreover, a team of expert rat miners, known for their successful rescue operation in Uttarakhand in 2023, has arrived, but their services have not been used yet due to the different nature of the situation in Telangana. While the Uttarakhand rescue involved rock and hand tools, the Telangana tunnel is filled with water and mud, making the rescue more difficult.

Government Officials Oversee Progress

Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, along with Irrigation Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy, Roads and Buildings Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, and Tourism Minister Jupally, have visited the site to review the ongoing rescue operations. Uttam Kumar Reddy also invited Harpal Singh, former engineer-in-chief of the Border Roads Organization, to share his expertise for the complicated rescue operation.

Details of the Incident

The collapse occurred at the 14-kilometer point of the left-side tunnel, where 50 workers were digging. While 42 workers were able to exit the tunnel, eight remain trapped.

Among the trapped workers are project manager Manoj Kumar (Uttar Pradesh), machine engineer Srinivas (Uttar Pradesh), machine operators Sunny Singh (Jammu and Kashmir) and Gurpreet Singh (Punjab), as well as four workers from Jharkhand: Sandeep Sahu, Santosh Sahu, Anju Sahu, and Jagta Khes.

Rescue operations are ongoing, with all agencies focused on bringing the trapped workers to safety.