Efforts to rescue eight workers trapped in Telangana’s Srisailam Left Bank Canal tunnel since February 22 continued for a sixth day on Thursday, with no breakthrough yet. A state minister had earlier stated that the operation would be completed within two days, but challenges persist.
Multi-Agency Efforts Underway
Rescue teams from the Army, Navy, National Disaster Response Force, and rat miners—who played a crucial role in Uttarkashi’s tunnel rescue in 2023—are working at the site. Authorities have begun cutting parts of the Tunnel Boring Machine and other obstacles blocking access to the trapped workers.
Nagarkurnool Superintendent of Police Vaibhav Gaikwad confirmed that gas-cutting operations began overnight, though the timeline for completion remains uncertain.
Major Challenges: Silt and Sludge
The biggest challenge remains the 7-9 meter-high silt deposits in the final 40-meter stretch. Irrigation Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy stated that dewatering and desilting efforts are underway to overcome these obstructions.
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