SLBC tunnel rescue operation to be completed in next 15 days: Minister

State government plans to complete rescue operation for Srisailam tunnel collapse victims in 15 days, offering ex gratia to families.

The State government, with the help of multiple rescue agencies, is planning to complete the rescue operation to recover the bodies of six more persons trapped under the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) debris over the next 15 days, Minister for Revenue and Housing Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy has said.

During a visit to the SLBC tunnel site near Domalapenta village of Nagarkurnool district on Wednesday, the Minister said the rescue teams were working round the clock to complete the operation, particularly in the last 110 metres stretch of the tunnel. The government would pay ex gratia to the families of all those who lost their lives in the tunnel collapse that took place on February 22 morning. He stated that the government had also resolved to complete the tunnel in two-and-a-half years’ time and give Krishna water drawn with gravity from Srisailam reservoir to the intended ayacut in the Nalgonda district. He reviewed the progress of rescue operation with the Special Officer Siva Sankar Lotheti, District Collector Santosh Badavath and team leaders of the rescue agencies.

Blaming the piling up of the debris including muck and boulders that occupied almost the entire tunnel with 9.2 metres diameter for about 250 meters towards the rock-end of the tunnel for the delay in completion of the rescue operation, the minister said about 140 metres of it was completely cleared now and the removal of debris including the metal (parts) of the tunnel boring machine (TBM) was being done in the remaining stretch now.

The process of dewatering with a multi-stage pumping system with a total capacity of nearly 3,000 HP motors was in progress to prevent logging of seepage water in the tunnel. He explained that about 800 rescue personnel from different agencies were engaged in work round the clock and now about 560 personnel were engaged in the work along with the machinery. He stated that the damaged parts of the TBM and the muck accumulated around them had made the debris removal task highly complex and difficult, with poor ventilation inside the tunnel. The minister stated that the bodies of two out of 8 persons buried under the debris were recovered so far and instructions were issued to the District Collector to extend the ex gratia payment to the families of remaining six persons too.