Efforts to rescue eight workers trapped in the SLBC tunnel in Nagarkurnool have been ongoing for six days. More than 500 personnel are working tirelessly, but there has been no breakthrough yet.
There were reports claiming that the National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI) had detected human bodies in the tunnel debris using ground-penetrating radar (GPR). However, Nagarkurnool District Collector B. Santhosh dismissed these reports as false.
“Some fake news is being circulated that bodies have been found. This is not true. If there are any updates, they will be communicated officially,” he clarified. Officials mentioned that rat miners are trying to get through the debris to check if there are any findings.
The Singareni Collieries Company Ltd (SCCL) has deployed 200 personnel to assist in the rescue operations as per government instructions. Additionally, the South Central Railway (SCR) has sent teams equipped with specialized tools such as plasma cutters and Broco cutting machines, according to SCR Chief Public Relations Officer A. Sridhar.
The rescue mission involves experts from the Army, Navy, SCCL, and disaster response teams from both Central and state agencies. Nagarkurnool Superintendent of Police Vaibhav Gaikwad stated that debris clearance and metal cutting efforts are still in progress.
“A team entered the tunnel at 7 AM, and the debris removal has been ongoing since Thursday morning. Dewatering operations are also being carried out,” he said. Despite the challenges, rescue teams remain hopeful as they continue their efforts to reach the trapped workers.
