6 Workers Feared Trapped in Telangana Tunnel Collapse: Rescue Operations Underway
A shocking incident unfolded on Saturday, February 22, 2025, when the roof of an under-construction tunnel in Telangana’s Nagarkurnool district collapsed, trapping at least six workers. The accident occurred in the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel, a key irrigation project, sparking immediate rescue efforts. Authorities, including Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, have sprung into action, directing teams to the site to save those feared trapped and assist the injured.
The collapse took place 12-13 kilometers inside the SLBC tunnel, which stretches from Srisailam towards Devarakonda. According to police, a concrete segment meant to stop water seepage slipped, causing three meters of the roof to cave in. Workers were inside doing routine tasks when the disaster struck at around 8 a.m. A senior police official told PTI, “Six to eight workers are feared trapped, based on what the construction company has told us.”.
Chief Minister Revanth Reddy acted swiftly, ordering the District Collector, Superintendent of Police, fire department, and Hyderabad Disaster Response and Assets Protection Agency (HYDRAA) to rush to the scene. A statement from his office confirmed injuries but didn’t specify numbers, saying, “Some people were hurt in the incident.” Irrigation Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy, along with Advisor Aditya Nath Das, IG Sathyanarayana, and DG Fire Services GV Narayan Rao, reached the site by helicopter to oversee the rescue operations.
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Details are still unclear about the exact number of workers inside the tunnel when the roof gave way. Nagarkurnool SP Vaibhav Gaikwad said 50 workers were at the site, and 43 made it out safely. That leaves six to eight potentially trapped, though rescue teams are still assessing the situation. “The spot is 14 km inside the tunnel. We’ll know more once the teams come out,” Gaikwad told The Indian Express.
Rescue operations are in full swing, with teams from the construction company and local authorities working together. Electricity to the tunnel was cut off after the collapse, complicating efforts. The trapped workers reportedly include people from Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, and Jammu and Kashmir, according to Social News XYZ. The focus is on reaching them quickly and safely.
Union Coal Minister G Kishan Reddy expressed concern and urged officials to prioritize the workers’ safety. “Find out why this happened and get those trapped out fast,” he said, also calling for medical care for the injured. Meanwhile, opposition leader K T Rama Rao from Bharat Rashtra Samithi blamed the state government, linking this collapse to a previous incident at the Sunkishala project. “This is due to government failure,” he claimed, demanding a probe.
As rescue teams dig through the debris, the nation watches anxiously. The injured have been rushed to TG-Genco hospital near Domalapenta, per The Hindu. Authorities promise updates once more is known. For now, the priority is clear: save the trapped workers and prevent further harm.
