Rescue operation to trace the eight persons missing after a portion of the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel collapsed last week hinges on the recommendations of the high-level team of Border Roads Organisation to completely dewater and start de-silting operations simultaneously.
Telangana Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy revealed that the rescue operation at the SLBC tunnel in Domalpenta of Nagarkurnool district, would be intensified at full stroke to locate the eight missing workers.
A team from BRO comprising Colonel Parikshit Mehra, a tunnel expert, former ADG BRO K. P. Purshothaman and former DG, BRO, Lieutenant General Harpal Singh, along with Indian Army, NDRF and executing agency officials after a visit to mishap site on Wednesday (February 26, 2025) had given certain recommendations for expediting the rescue operations. The Minister expressed confidence that the operation would be completed within two days.
Briefing the media about the ongoing rescue operation on the fifth day on Wednesday, Mr. Reddy revealed that a concrete plan had been devised in consultation with experts involved in tunnel accident management, including those from the Border Roads Organisation (BRO). “To overcome the obstacles, the rear portion of the Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) will be cut, allowing the rescue team to remove the silt filled with mud and rocks,” he said.
The team had as a first step favoured dewatering to be completed at the earliest. It observed that while the dewatering process had improved but is had to be done completely. Two 100 HP motors were installed and would start working in few hours.
Similarly, the team wanted the debris that comprises steel, iron metal parts to be cut and taken out. It stated that it was fine silt which had occupied entire mishap site. For this it said gas welding cutters, including plasma cutters, to be used. In all eight gas welding cutters would be procured by the executing agency to work in association with NDRF team in the first shift. The team said five plasma cutters should work in three shifts.
On silt management, the team wanted it be done manually and through small machine (bobcat). It pointed out that the silt management work could start from the far end side from the tunnel entry point. They allayed fears that more silt would come, but cautioned to go slow on the silt removal.
Mr. Reddy said the rescue efforts had been accelerated with the help of experts from the Army, NDRF, Navy, and Rat Mining personnel from Uttarakhand. The teams would use the gas and plasma cutters to remove the tunnel boring machine and drain the accumulated water and mud, which had risen to a height of 15 to 20 feet and spread over 200 metres.
When asked the possible risk to the lives of the rescue personnel considering the “high risk conditions” in the tunnel, he said that they were a bit slow in the past two days due to the risks.
“We will speed up the operation by taking all necessary safety measures to protect the lives of those involved in the operation,” Mr. Reddy said, adding that the intensified operation would start on Wednesday itself. In response to a query about the chances of survival of the trapped persons, he said that they had not lost hope.
Published – February 27, 2025 07:14 am IST