Uttam said as part of trying to find a solution to reach the section of the tunnel where the workers are trapped – some 13.9 km into the structure – he spoke with General Harpal Singh, who heads the Indian Army’s Border Roads Organisation which has vast experience in working in extremely difficult circumstances, and in tunneling operations
HYDERABAD: The collapse of a section of the SLBC tunnel is the “most serious, complicated, and complex tunnel collapse accidents ever in India,” Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy said on Tuesday.
Speaking to reporters at the Srisailam Left Bank Canal tunnel inlet site in Domalapenta village in Nagarkurnool district in Telangana after a high level review of the conditions in the tunnel on Tuesday, Uttam said “the government is committed to make every effort to rescue the eight workers trapped inside the tunnel. During the last three days, we have called everyone who has ever taken part in any tunnel rescue in the country. There has never been such an accident in India.”
Uttam said as part of trying to find a solution to reach the section of the tunnel where the workers are trapped – some 13.9 km into the structure – he spoke with General Harpal Singh, who heads the Indian Army’s Border Roads Organisation which has vast experience in working in extremely difficult circumstances, and in tunneling operations.
“He said he will be coming tomorrow following my request to do so. He said he has not seen such a complicated and complex accident and assured all possible help,” Uttam said.
One of the biggest challenges, Uttam said, is that water flowing into the tunnel from the breach and the slush was increasing, and that this was a matter of concern.
Unlike in other tunnel accidents like the one in Uttarakhand where there was an exit and an entrance, SLBC goes just one way.
Those who reviewed the situation on Tuesday included deputy chief minister Mallu Bhatti Virkamarka, and ministers Jupally Krishna Rao, and Komatireddy Venkat Reddy. Also present were officials from all the rescue teams from various agencies and government wings along with representatives from the contractor company Jaiprakash Associates, Robbins USA which owns and operated the tunnel boring machine (TBM), and a TBM expert from L&T, Christopher Cooper.
The Irrigation Minister said detailed discussions were held and that he, along with Bhatti and the other ministers, will brief Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on the current state of preparations for rescue attempts, and the conditions in the tunnel. He said there will be another meeting with technical experts including scientists from NGRI, GSI, and NRSC on the way forward from the current situation.
