Srisailam Tunnel Rescue Operation Enters 23rd Day with No Major Breakthrough

Nagarkurnool: The massive multi-agency operation to locate the remaining seven missing workers trapped under the debris in the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel near Domalapenta village continues to face challenges, with no significant progress recorded even on the 23rd day. Despite intensified efforts involving advanced machinery, excavation teams have struggled to clear the remaining debris and locate the missing individuals.

Officials overseeing the rescue operation have deployed five mini-excavators in a chain-link system to transport silt and muck from the last 400 metres of the tunnel to the conveyor belt’s endpoint. The debris is being directly loaded onto the belt for efficient removal. Additionally, technicians from the South Central Railway (SCR) are dismantling and extracting parts of the tunnel boring machine (TBM) using trolleys linked to a locomotive that runs for 13 kilometres inside the tunnel.

A key development in the search efforts has been the reconfirmation of potential locations, marked as D1 and D2, by human remains detection dogs (HRDDs). Excavation at these points is progressing cautiously, as the debris contains hardened silt and heavy TBM components.

To speed up the operation, authorities have ramped up the de-watering process by deploying additional high-capacity pumps across five stages, now totalling around 3,000 HP. Meanwhile, ventilation systems, fresh air carriers, and ducts have been restored up to the D2 point to improve working conditions inside the tunnel. A newly introduced 30 HP liquid ring vacuum pump, transported to the site on 14 March, was put into use on Sunday evening.

As the rescue teams push forward despite technical hurdles, the wait for a breakthrough continues, leaving families of the missing workers desperate for closure.