Hyderabad: The relief operations at the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel accident site will be completed within the next 10-15 days, Telangana revenue, housing, information, and civil relations minister Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy stated on Wednesday, April 2.
He also assured that irrigation water from the Krishna River will be made available to Nalgonda and Khammam districts in the next two and a half years. Ponguleti Srinivasa visited the accident site to inspect the ongoing rescue and relief efforts.
Addressing the media, he emphasized that work is progressing swiftly as per the instructions of Telangana chief minister Revanth Reddy.
The accident, which took place on February 22, resulted in eight workers being trapped inside the tunnel. The collapse of rocks, Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) parts, and accumulated silt has made rescue efforts extremely challenging. So far, two bodies have been recovered, and authorities are in the process of providing compensation to the families of the remaining victims.
The minister Ponguleti revealed that nearly 700-800 experts from various organizations have been involved in the operation over the past 40 days, working round-the-clock. At present, about 550-560 personnel are engaged in relief operations using state-of-the-art machinery. However, progress has been reportedly slowed due to iron and other materials getting stuck in the drilling machines, making the removal of debris hazardous.
Additionally, poor air circulation and inadequate lighting within the tunnel, which is located 14 kilometers from the inlet, have further complicated the rescue efforts. Minister Ponguleti assured that all necessary support has been arranged by the state government to ensure that the workers engaged in relief operations do not face any difficulties.
The SLBC project was initiated under the late Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy to channel Krishna River waters for irrigation. Minister Ponguleti reaffirmed that the project would be fully completed during the tenure of the Indiramma government.
To prevent similar incidents in the future, he stressed that additional safety measures will be implemented for upcoming tunnel excavation works. The government has directed the district collector, special monitoring officer Shivshankar Loteti, disaster management officials, and police authorities to remain on high alert throughout the relief process.
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