Rescue operations at SLBC Tunnel Project called off; Fate of six workers still unclear

Almost all national and state agencies deployed in the operation following the February 22 roof collapse have been withdrawn. Only skeletal staff are now monitoring and managing the tunnel infrastructure

Hyderabad: For all practical purposes, the rescue operations in the SLBC tunnel project have come to an end. The fate of the six workers still missing remains a mystery. Only a formal declaration by the State government to this effect is awaited.

Almost all national and state agencies deployed in the operation following the February 22 roof collapse have been withdrawn. Only skeletal staff are now monitoring and managing the tunnel infrastructure.

The government has constituted a five-member expert committee to study conditions in the 43-metre roof collapse stretch that has been declared a “no-go zone” and recommend a way forward to complete the project. Though the expert panel is expected to submit its report within a fortnight, no specific timeline has been set for its recommendations on the way ahead.

Based on the experts’ suggestions, the State government may consider adopting the ‘drill and blast’ method to continue work toward the Srisailam reservoir end of the tunnel. The boring method implemented so far using TBMs has been shelved in view of the challenges in the upcoming three-kilometre stretch, according to officials.

They said that work would resume only after “normalcy” is restored, with plans finalised for the implementation of the pending tasks. The timeline for resuming work remains uncertain, and the original deadline of December 2026 set by the Congress government for project completion is no longer relevant.

Further geological assessments will be a priority at this stage. The absence of safety features such as escape routes every 400–500 metres was a critical flaw exposed by the tragedy, and it needs to be addressed.