Telangana tunnel collapse: Search ops underway at locations identified for possible human presence

The search operation to locate the seven people trapped inside the partially collapsed SLBC tunnel continued at a rapid pace on Wednesday, at the spots identified for possible human presence, officials said.

The broken parts of the huge Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) which were obstructing excavation at the 'D1, D2' spots were being removed using ultra thermal cutters, an official statement said.

The 'D1, D2' are areas identified for possible human presence.

The soil at these locations was being shifted out of the tunnel using excavators and conveyor belt while efforts to restore loco train up to these locations were also underway, it said.

The process of removing soil, muck and also dewatering was going on continuously.

So far, 800 tons of steel and 800 tons of soil was shifted out of the tunnel using loco train and conveyor belt respectively, it added.

State Special Chief Secretary (Disaster Management) Arvind Kumar was supervising the search operation.

Personnel from the NDRF, SDRF, state-run miner Singareni Collieries, rat miners, and others were continuing the search operation.

The body of Gurpreet Singh, a TBM operator, was recovered on March 9 and handed over to his family in Punjab. Seven others remain trapped inside the tunnel.

A total of eight individuals—including engineers and labourers—were trapped in the SLBC project tunnel when a portion of it collapsed on February 22.