An excavator is being used inside Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) in Domalapenta, Nagarkurnool.
| Photo Credit: By Arrangement
It has been over 10 days since a portion of the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel in Nagarkurnool district collapsed on February 22, 2025 trapping eight persons. Though about 120 persons are engaged in the rescue work in every shift round-the-clock, the teams from multiple organisations are yet to rescue the eight – whose survival chances have either diminished or almost naught.
Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, who visited the tunnel, said on Sunday (March 2, 2025) that it would take another two to three days to locate those trapped.
Latest updates on rescue work at Telangana SLBC tunnel Day 11 (March 4, 2025)
Why is it taking so long?
Huge amount of debris including steel, iron and slush has to be cleared to trace the eight people. A few days ago, the last 50 metres was found to be clogged with the debris. Besides this, around 3,000 litres to 5,000 litres of water per minute is seeping through crevices, which is adding to the slush.
A few days ago, the last 50 metres was found to be clogged with the debris.
| Photo Credit:
By Arrangement
While a large number of rescue personnel are trying to clear the slush, bringing it out of the tunnel is a huge task since the conveyor belt was dysfunctional till Tuesday evening. With the restoration of conveyor belt the slush and other debris is being shifted out of the tunnel using both the conveyor belt and the trolley attached to the locomotive.
The tunnel is 44 kms long. It is being drilled from two ends. The side – where a portion collapsed – is 13.9 kms long. From the other end it is completed for length of 20.43 km. The tunnel boring machine (TBM) – which was used to drill the tunnel – broke into two and its parts too formed debris. Cutting the TBM parts too was a challenge because they were heavy.
South Central Railway (SCR) teams used three ultra thermic cutters to slice through the metal debris and clear it. Heads of the rescue teams informed the Chief Minister on Sunday that removing the debris in the last 20 metres is tough and challenging. The constant seepage of water made the left flank and roof there unstable.
Published – March 04, 2025 05:42 pm IST
