Telangana Tunnel Collapse: Race Against Time as Rescuers Struggle to Reach Trapped Workers

The rescue mission at Telangana’s Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel has entered a critical phase as eight workers remain trapped deep inside since Saturday morning. What began as a desperate attempt to free them has turned into an engineering nightmare, with heavy mud and water seepage creating a massive 11-foot-high barrier—like a wall of quicksand—that is blocking all access.

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), along with Navy and Army experts, is battling against zero visibility, unstable terrain, and dangerous debris, including twisted metal and concrete chunks. Sonar scans reveal that any attempt to force entry could pose serious injury risks. “We have deployed all available technology, but right now, we have no way to break through this thick slush,” said NDRF Commandant Prasanna Kumar.

Meanwhile, families of the trapped men are anxiously waiting for updates, as nearly 60 hours have passed without any contact with those inside. Among the trapped are engineers Sunny Singh and Gurpreet Singh, along with construction workers from Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand.

The collapse occurred 13.5 km inside the tunnel, triggered by natural rock formations giving way. Experts are scrambling for solutions, but traditional drilling is not an option—the tunnel ceiling is 400 meters high, making it impossible to pinpoint the fault line. “Bringing in heavy machinery is proving to be a challenge due to the rough terrain,” said Telangana’s Irrigation Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy.

The rescue team is now awaiting a soil stability report from the National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI), hoping it will provide insights for a breakthrough. With ventilation and lighting holding up until the last 50 meters, rescuers are racing against time to find a way in before conditions worsen.

As experts across India are being consulted, hope remains, but so does uncertainty. The trapped workers are inside a dark, flooded tunnel with no communication, and every passing hour increases the risk.