SLBC tunnel collapse: Action plan, two day deadline spur drive to find survivors
Telangana govt. escalated efforts to ensure safe evacuation of trapped workers in tunnel
Domalapenta:The rescue attempts to try and locate the eight workers trapped in the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel received a huge fillip on Wednesday with the government announcing that it has set itself a two-day deadline and declared an action plan to speed up the rescue.
“After a fresh round of assessments of the conditions in the tunnel, today we devised clear strategies to move forward efficiently. We now have a well-defined plan, we are accelerating the rescue and relief operations. And we are taking additional precautions to ensure rescuer safety while moving forward aggressively to save the trapped workers,” irrigation minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy said.
“We are also exploring alternate access routes, including approaching from the side and the main exit, to expedite the rescue,” he said.
He was speaking to media persons at Domalapenta village where the inlet of the SLBC tunnel project begins. On Saturday last, a section of the tunnel collapsed when the tunnel boring machine reached 13.9 km distance, and following the incident which saw rapid flooding of the tunnel with water along with silt and stones. While 42 workers managed to escape, eight were trapped, and so far, all attempts to reach the worst hit section of the tunnel have met with limited success.
On Wednesday, the arrival of additional director general of Border Roads Organisation (BRO) Col. Parikshit Mishra, and former BRO director and former engineer-in-chief of the Indian Army Gen. Harpal Singh, at the tunnel site appeared to play the role of a much-needed catalyst for firming up rescue plans. Col. Mishra, and Gen. Singh joined the rescue efforts following a personal appeal from Uttam Kumar Reddy. Both these officials, soon after arrival went into the tunnel and upon their return, following a meeting, the minister announced the rescue action plan.
The minister said though over the past two days safety of the rescuers themselves became a cause for concern. The assessment yesterday was that the people going in to rescue and bring out the survivors would themselves be at great risk. “Yesterday and today, we assessed the situation thoroughly and devised clear strategies for rescuer safety. Experts are continuously assessing the structural stability of the tunnel,” he said.
Reinforced support structures are being used to stabilise the pathway leading to the TBM, ensuring that rescuers can navigate safely through the tunnel. Officials have been instructed to accelerate debris removal and reinforce weakened tunnel sections to prevent any secondary collapses, he added.
He reiterated that the government was leaving no stone unturned, engaging top experts, modern technology, and global rescue strategies to accelerate the mission. “One of the biggest challenges in the rescue effort has been the massive accumulation of muddy water obstructing access to the TBM. “To tackle this, dewatering operations have been intensified, real-time monitoring of tunnel conditions is in place using advanced imaging systems, and precision excavation equipment are being deployed to assess the tunnel’s internal conditions with greater accuracy,” he said.
Uttam Kumar Reddy expressed optimism that with the intensified rescue efforts, deployment of elite forces, and new high-tech interventions, a breakthrough in reaching the trapped workers could happen very soon.
Infograph
The Action Plan
Immediate dewatering of the tunnel
Cut all mangled metal parts and remove from tunnel;
Use small machinery like a bobcat for silt removal
Explore alternate access, approaches from the side to expedite rescue
Safety structures for rescuers
Agencies joining efforts
Border Roads Organisation; Army, Navy and Marcos, SDRF, NDRF, SCCL, Rat Miners, Fire and Police, among others
