Rescue efforts are underway in Telangana’s Nagarkurnool district, where eight workers remain trapped inside an under-construction tunnel after a roof collapse on Saturday. Authorities have yet to establish contact with those trapped, who are located about 14 km inside the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) project tunnel. The collapse occurred while 51 workers were excavating through a hill, with most managing to escape. However, two site engineers and several laborers were left behind near a Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) at the 14-km mark. Officials have ensured an oxygen and power supply in the tunnel, while dewatering and de-silting operations are ongoing.
A large-scale rescue operation involving the Indian Army, NDRF, SDRF, Singareni Collieries Company Ltd (SCCL), and the tunnel’s infrastructure firm is in progress. However, efforts are being hampered by waterlogging around 2 km before the 13.5 km mark, preventing heavy equipment from reaching the final stretch. Additional pumps have been deployed to expedite dewatering. When NDRF personnel reached the 13.5 km point, they called out to the trapped workers but received no response. Officials estimate that another 200 meters must be cleared before their exact condition can be determined. The trapped individuals include engineers and workers from Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Jammu & Kashmir, and Punjab.
Political leaders are closely monitoring the situation. Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi spoke with Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, urging swift action, while Telangana Governor Jishnu Dev Varma contacted the Nagarkurnool district collector for updates. The SLBC project, designed to channel 30 tmc ft of water from the Srisailam reservoir to Nalgonda, has now become the focal point of an intense rescue mission. Officials remain hopeful that access will be gained soon, allowing them to assess and rescue the trapped workers.
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