At least six workers were feared trapped after a section of a roof collapsed in the under-construction stretch of the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) in Nagarkurnool district of Telangana on Saturday.
Police officials stated that the construction company’s team had gone inside for assessment and was verifying the number of workers trapped. “Six to eight workers are feared trapped as per the information given by the company engaged in the work,” a senior police official told PTI. The incident occurred when some workers were inside the tunnel as part of the construction work, and the roof collapsed at a depth of 12-13 km inside, the official added.
A press release from the Chief Minister’s office indicated that some persons sustained injuries, but it did not mention the exact number. Following the incident, Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy directed the District Collector, Superintendent of Police, and other officials to immediately reach the accident site and oversee the relief efforts.
As per the CM’s directives, State Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy, government adviser on irrigation Adityanath Das, and other irrigation officials left for the spot in a special helicopter to monitor the rescue operations.
Expressing concern over the incident, Union Coal Minister G. Kishan Reddy inquired about the causes of the accident and instructed officials to ensure the safe evacuation of those feared trapped. He also asked officials to provide medical treatment to the injured, if any, according to a release from his office.
Meanwhile, the CM alerted officials soon after receiving information about the collapse and directed the district collector, superintendent of police, fire services department, Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA), and irrigation officials to rush to the site and take immediate relief measures. Telangana Irrigation Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy personally reached the SLBC tunnel mishap site and held a review meeting with senior officials, ANI reported.
Reacting to the incident, BRS working president KT Rama Rao criticized Telangana CM Revanth Reddy, stating that the latter should take full responsibility for the accident. “The fact that another tragedy occurred in the state before the Sunkishala retaining wall collapse incident is a testament to the failure of the Congress government,” KTR said in a post on X. He further alleged that such accidents occur due to collusion with contractors and compromised quality standards.
To aid in the rescue efforts, a 19-member team from the state-owned Singareni Collieries Company Ltd (SCCL) left for the SLBC site on Saturday. SCCL CMD N Balaram told PTI that the firm possesses specialized equipment imported from Australia, the USA, and Poland, which can cut huge rocks and boulders within minutes to facilitate rescue operations.
