Search intensified for six missing in T’gana tunnel

Hyderabad

Rescue efforts at the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel in Telangana’s Nagarkurnool district have intensified as teams continue to search for six missing workers. The accident occurred on February 22, when a portion of the tunnel roof collapsed, trapping eight workers. So far, two bodies—Gurpreet Singh from Punjab and Manoj Kumar from Uttar Pradesh—have been recovered and handed over to their families.

On the 48th day of operations, officials said that significant progress has been made in restoring the loco train track, alongside simultaneous work on soil excavation, steel cutting, and dewatering. The rescue teams, including NDRF, SDRF, SCCL, and Anvi Robotics, are operating around the clock to locate the missing. Cadaver dog squads from Kerala and robotic tools are also being used, especially in risky areas near the Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM).

The missing workers include Sri Niwas (UP), Sunny Singh (J&K), and four others from Jharkhand—Sandeep Sahu, Jegta Xess, Santosh Sahu, and Anuj Sahu. The Telangana government has announced Rs 25 lakh ex-gratia for each deceased worker's family.

The loco track restoration up to the 13.88 km point is being fast-tracked, marking the final stretch of the rescue mission. A total of 25 agencies and around 700 personnel are involved, under the supervision of Special Officer Shiva Shankar Loteti. Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has directed officials to speed up the operation.