Telangana tunnel rescue day 6 | SCR team brings Ultra thermos cutter to slice through metal debris hindering rescue work

Rescue operation in Telangana SLBC tunnel gains momentum with advanced cutters brought in by SCR, and NGRI joining efforts.

The rescue operation to trace the missing eight personnel deep inside the partially collapsed Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel in Nagarkurnool gained momentum with South Central Railway (SCR) team bringing advanced cutters to clear the debris and the National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI) unit also joining the efforts on Thursday (February 27, 2025). The debris, including steel and iron, hindered the rescue work in the past few days.

A day after the joint team of Border Roads Organisation (BRO), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and Indian Army personnel inspected the last point inside the collapsed tunnel to get first hand assessment of the situation, state-of-the-art machines were pressed into service this morning.

Latest updates on rescue work at Telangana SLBC tunnel Day 6 (February 27, 2025)

A team from the SCR’s Divisional Mechanical Engineering wing reached the mishap site. They brought with them ‘Ultra thermos cutter’, which is most suitable for cutting metals more than 8 mm. “The cutter is most suited for our rescue operation inside the tunnel. The SCR personnel have taken it inside,” a top official overseeing the entire operation told The Hindu today.

Given the huge debris comprising twisted steel and iron, the rescue teams have requisitioned one more such cutter machine, which the officials are hopeful of procuring it by this evening.

Initially, as suggested by the BRO experts, plasma cutters were planned to be taken inside but the idea was dropped. “The plasma cutters are too heavy and taking it inside is posing a few challenges,” the official said.

While the rescue operation has shifted to top gear, a team from the NGRI went inside the tunnel with a unit of Ground Probing Radar (GPR) of 200 MHZ, which is suitable up to 10 metres depth inside. “Another unit with GPR is on the top of the hill carrying out tests,” it was pointed out.