Hyderabad: Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy and Tourism Minister Jupally Krishna Rao denied the Opposition’s claims that government negligence caused the roof collapse at the SLBC tunnel.
They explained that the collapse was an unfortunate accident, likely caused by water and mud seepage, not government negligence. The ministers assured that the government acted immediately, launching rescue operations without delay. So far, 45 workers have been rescued, but eight remain trapped.
The ministers blamed the previous BRS government for delaying the tunnel project, accusing them of neglect. They stated that after the Congress-led government took office, they sped up the work. To ensure faster completion, excavation experts from the United States were brought in.
The accident site is located 13.5 km from the tunnel entrance. Rescue teams are working continuously, seeking technical support from various agencies. Uttam Kumar Reddy also confirmed that the Union government has promised full assistance to complete the rescue mission as quickly as possible.
Additionally, the ministers said that Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy is being updated regularly on the rescue operations and efforts to safely evacuate the trapped workers.
