Telangana Tunnel Collapse: Army, NDRF Roped In To Rescue Trapped Workers, PM Dials CM Reddy — Updates

Prime Minister Narendra Modi called up Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy to inquire about the incident. He assured all possible assistance from the Centre to carry out the rescue operation.

A portion of the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel project collapsed in Telangana's Nagarkurnool district, trapping eight workers inside.

Source : X@ANI

As many as eight persons were trapped in a tunnel after a portion of it collapsed on Saturday in the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) project in Nagarkurnool district, situated around 150 km from Hyderabad in Telangana. The state government has roped in experts, including those who helped rescue the trapped workers in the Uttarakhand tunnel collapse last year, along with Indian Army and the NDRF as rescue operations are on in full swing.

A 19-member team from state owned coal mining firm, Singareni Collieries Company Ltd. (SCCL) have also been called in to provide assistance in the rescue operations.

Those trapped inside the tunnel include two engineers of an infrastructure firm, two operators employed with a US company, and four labourers. All of them belong to Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhad, Punjab, and Jammu and Kashmir.

Here's what has happened so far:

• The constructions work had resumed recently in the tunnel project, and as many as 50 persons had gone inside the tunnel in the first shift along with a 200 metre long machine. They went up to 13.5 km inside the tunnel as part of the work, but suddenly the roof of the tunnel collapsed. 
  
  
• As many as eight members who were ahead of the machine got trapped while 42 others managed to run towards the outside gate of the tunnel and came out, officials told news agency PTI.
  
  
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi called up Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy to inquire about the incident. He assured all possible assistance from the Centre to carry out the rescue operation.
  
  
• After reports of workers from Jharkhand being trapped inside the tunnel surfaced, Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren took to X to express chis concern and urged CM Reddy to extend all possible rescue measures to ensure the workers come out safely. "The Jharkhand government is coordinating with the Telangana government, receiving updates every moment, and is prepared to provide all necessary assistance," he said.
  
  

  तेलंगाना के नागरकुरनूल जिले में श्रीशैलम लेफ्ट बैंक कैनाल टनल हादसे में झारखण्ड समेत अन्य राज्यों के कुछ श्रमिकों के फंसे होने की खबर मिली है।
  तेलंगाना के माननीय मुख्यमंत्री श्री @revanth_anumula जी से आग्रह है कि टनल हादसे में हरसंभव रेस्क्यू मदद पहुंचाने की कृपा करें। मैं…

  — Hemant Soren (@HemantSorenJMM) February 22, 2025

• Meanwhile, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday expressed concern over the tunnel collapse and hoped for the safety of the trapped. In a post on X, he said that the state government along with rescue teams have been making all efforts to rescue the trapped workers.
  
  
• "Our government is doing everything to save the lives of those eight persons. We also spoke to the experts involved in saving the individuals in the Uttarakhand incident," State Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy said.
  
  
• According to a release from the Chief Minister's Office, CM Reddy briefed the PM on the tunnel collapse situation and informed him that efforts were underway to rescue the trapped individuals.
  
  
• Teams of NDRF and SDRF have reached the spot and rescue operations are underway in full swing. Drones are being deployed to guide the teams entering the tunnel and fresh air was being pumped into the tunnel to ensure the safety of those trapped.
  

  #WATCH | Nagarkurnool, Telangana: SDRF, NDRF and other rescue teams, along with officials from Singareni Collieries, return after inspecting the collapsed portion of the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel, in which at least eight workers are feared trapped. pic.twitter.com/qun7EZWPc9

  — ANI (@ANI) February 22, 2025

• The rescue teams are hesitant to go inside as loud sounds are coming from within the tunnel. There is a lot of muck piled up at the accident stop as a result of which the rescue teams are using drones to navigate forward and identify potential danger. 
  
  
• An SDRF personnel told news agency ANI that there was "no chance" to go to the spot inside the tunnel as  it was completely collapsed and mud was reaching up to the knees. "We will have to take another step," he said.
  
  
• Union Coal Minister G Kishan Reddy has also inquired about the potential reasons behind the tunnel collapse and asked officials to rescue the trapped to safety. He also directed officials to provide necessary treatment to the injured, if any.