Hyderabad, 26 February (H.S.): Telangana Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy announced on Wednesday, February 26 that the state government has intensified its efforts to rescue eight workers trapped in the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel near Domalapenta in Nagarkurnool district.

The minister revealed that elite forces such as the Indian Marine Commando Force (MARCOS) and the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) have been deployed to aid in the rescue operations. He also stated that a concrete plan has been finalised to ensure the safety of both rescuers and survivors inside the tunnel. The minister further added that the rescue operation is expected to be completed within two days and new strategies are being implemented to mitigate challenges inside the tunnel.

Based on field inspections conducted over the past two days, officials are also exploring alternative access routes to expedite the rescue process. A high-level meeting was held at the incident site with the presence of various officials including ministers, MPs, and collectors, to assess the ongoing situation and discuss further interventions.

The Telangana minister emphasised on the importance of ensuring the safety of both rescuers and survivors while accelerating the rescue efforts with greater speed. The state government is determined to successfully rescue all trapped workers and provide them with necessary relief and support.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar