Telangana tunnel rescue | Teams hopeful of breakthrough on Day 11

Rescue teams at Srisailam Left Bank Canal tunnel hopeful for breakthrough, with progress in debris removal and equipment deployment.

Eleven days into the rescue operation at the part of the collapsed Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel in Domalapenta of Nagarkurnool district, rescue teams are hopeful of a break through by Tuesday (March 4, 2025) evening.

The confidence stems up from the fact that two excavators are inside the tunnel now and are being operated by the Army. “The presence of the second excavator since Monday (March 3, 2025) night has expedited the work and the conveyor belt is expected to be up and running today,” a senior official of the rescue operation told The Hindu from the SLBC tunnel site.

Latest updates on rescue work at Telangana SLBC tunnel on Day 11 (March 4, 2025)

The rescue teams have heaved a sigh of relief as most of the metal from the Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) has been cut. “But there is a bit of delay in loading these metal parts on the loco platform. We are exploring if the excavator can be used for this purpose,” sources said.

Adding to the rescue operation, a ventilator shaft in the last 50 metres would be installed today. “This will help manpower to reach the end of the tunnel easily,” it was pointed out.

Officials said that the Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) rescue team with rat miners are carefully digging some pockets, and medical and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams are also on alert in case bodies are located. The SCCL management has been asked to increase their manpower. “They are best suited for desiltation, removal of material and help the rescue efforts to locate the eight missing workers,” it was revealed.

In a related development, Geological Survey of India (GSI) team has taken up survey from top of the rocks from today while a team of the National Centre for Seismology of the Ministry of Earth Sciences will arrive along with equipment any time on Tuesday.