Key Points
Multiple agencies including Army and Navy join tunnel rescue efforts
Rat miners deployed for challenging underground operation
Tunnel collapse occurred at 14 km mark near Domalapenta
Endoscopic and robotic cameras being used in search
Meanwhile, Telangana Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy assured on Tuesday that all possible efforts were being made to rescue those inside the collapsed Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel.
Minister Singh told reporters after inspecting the tunnel, "We are doing our best to save the lives..."
He also criticised the opposition for politicising the issue and acknowledged the complexity of the rescue mission due to the tunnel having only one exit.
"First, we want to say that the 44 km Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel will be a boon to the people and farmers of Telangana... Do they want everything to be politics? It is shameful... National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Rat miners feel this is the most difficult operation in the world. This tunnel has an exit only on one side," he said.
"This incident has happened probably due to a tectonic shift. Ten agencies, including the Indian Army, Indian Navy's MARCOS commandos, NDRF, SDRF, and National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), have come together for this operation. We all are overseeing the operation. Anyone who is criticising this operation should have shame...," Singh added.
The same Rat miners who successfully carried out the Uttarkashi tunnel rescue operation in Uttarakhand last year are involved in this mission.
A three-metre section of the roof of an under-construction stretch of the SLBC tunnel collapsed at the 14 km mark near Domalapenta in Nagarkurnool district on Saturday morning, just four days after construction had resumed following a long break. While some workers managed to escape, eight remain trapped inside.
On Monday, endoscopic and robotic cameras were brought to the site to assist in the rescue operation, and an NDRF Dog Squad was also deployed.
The Engineer Task Force (ETF) of the Indian Army has deployed equipment and medical teams to clear debris and facilitate the safe evacuation of the trapped workers.
