BRS busy in politicising even an accident: Komatireddy

Roads and Buildings Minister criticizes BRS leaders for politicizing Srisailam tunnel accident, questions their lack of action during rule.

Roads and Buildings Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy found fault with the BRS leaders’ efforts to politicise even an accident at the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel and asked if BRS chief K Chandrashekhar Rao ever visited any accident spot during their 10-year rule?

Mr. Reddy, who was camping at Domalapenta in Nagarkurnool district to oversee the rescue operations, said Mr. KT Rama Rao was more worried about political criticism than the rescue efforts. He said Chief Minister Revanth Reddy refrained from coming to the tunnel site so that rescue operations were not hampered. On behalf of the government, the Ministers are camping to supervise the rescue operations.

He reminded that neither KCR nor KTR had ever offered solace to the families in such accidents during the BRS rule and now they were busy with political criticism blaming the government.

Mr. Reddy said some phone calls reached the trapped workers with no response as the signals were weak. Phone of an employee rang when officials called the number and the signals pointed to their presence in the hills. There is a hope that slush has not engulfed the trapped workers, he said.

Mr. Reddy was hopeful of rescuing the workers citing how in a similar operation in Uttarakhand in 2023 rat miners saved people 17 days after the accident. The government’s commitment was reflected as it reached out to renowned international companies to procure advanced machinery necessary for the rescue.