Eight trapped in SLBC tunnel mishap in Telangana, state govt taking help of experts

Hyderabad: At least eight workers were trapped and 15 others sustained injuries when the roof of an under-construction Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel in Domalapenta, Nagarkurnool district of Telangana, collapsed on Saturday morning.

The roof reportedly caved in about three meters deep in the left tunnel of the twin-tunnel project, near the 14-kilometer mark.

The incident occurred while work was in progress, just four days after construction resumed following a five-year hiatus since the Congress party formed the government in Telangana in 2023.

The twin-tunnel project aims to provide water for both irrigation and drinking needs from the Srisailam project to the erstwhile combined Nalgonda district, covering a distance of 44 kilometers.

The disaster took place in the left canal section. The collapse happened when water began entering the tunnel from one side as work commenced in the morning. The darkness inside the tunnel has made it difficult to search for those trapped.

Reports indicate that the tunnel is partially filled with water, and the surrounding soil has turned to sludge, complicating rescue efforts, said Telangana Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy.

NDRF teams from Hyderabad and Vijayawada have been deployed for the rescue operation. A rescue team from Singareni Collieries Company Ltd, equipped with expertise in rescue operations, has also been dispatched to the site.

At the time of the incident, there were 50 workers present, with 42 managing to escape.

“Since the incident occurred 14 kilometers from the starting point, it has been challenging to reach the site. We are making every effort to establish contact with those trapped and facilitate their rescue,” said a senior official from Nagarkurnool. Until now contact could not be established with the trapped workers.

“Other laborers reported hearing a loud noise moments before the collapse. Bolts apparently broke, causing concrete segments to fall, and power wires were damaged, plunging the area into darkness. Irrigation officials have been directed to consult with officials in Uttarakhand, where a similar incident occurred last year,” added Uttam Kumar Reddy, who arrived by helicopter to personally review the situation.

The eight workers trapped in the tunnel include four laborers from Jharkhand, two engineers from Uttar Pradesh, and two operatives, one each from Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab.

PM Modi talks to Revanth

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inquired about the incident at the SLBC tunnel near Domalapenta in Nagarkurnool district during a phone call with Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy.

Revanth briefed the Prime Minister about the incident, including the eight workers trapped in the tunnel and the ongoing rescue operations. Revanth informed Modi that Ministers Uttam Kumar Reddy and Jupalli Krishna Rao are closely monitoring the rescue efforts at the site.

The Prime Minister assured Revanth Reddy that an NDRF team would be deployed immediately to assist in the rescue operations and expressed the Central government's full support to the Telangana government.