The SLBC tunnel collapsed during lining works at the 13.6 km point of a delayed irrigation project aimed at supplying Srisailam Dam water to drought-hit Nalgonda and Mahbubnagar districts
Published May 22, 2025 | 11:26 PM ⚊ Updated May 22, 2025 | 11:26 PM
SLBC Tunnel Collapse
Synopsis: Nearly three months after the tragic collapse at the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) Tunnel in Telangana’s Nagarkurnool district, rescue teams are still working to clear the final 30 metres of debris to retrieve six trapped workers. Since the 22 February incident, only two bodies have been recovered, as recovery efforts face extreme underground conditions and structural challenges
It was four months ago, on 22 February 2025, when tragedy struck suddenly in Telangana as eight workers were trapped following a collapse in the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) Tunnel in Nagarkurnool district. However, even 89 days later, the state is still working to clear the last 30 metres of debris and retrieve the remaining bodies.
While two corpses have been recovered from the site, six workers remain trapped inside. But that is not to say the state has given up—rescue operations continue despite harsh challenges, including high underground temperatures, structural instability, and dangerously low oxygen levels, which have complicated recovery efforts.
The SLBC tunnel collapse occurred during lining works near the 13.6 km mark inside the tunnel, part of a major irrigation infrastructure project designed to transport water from the Srisailam Dam on the Krishna River to drought-prone areas of Nalgonda and Mahbubnagar districts. The project, intended to address chronic agricultural distress in the region, had already seen multiple delays over the years.
Following the incident, the Government of Telangana launched rescue operations on a war footing. The operation mobilised NDRF and Armed Reserve personnel, and even Rat Miners from Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL), considered experts at working in confined underground spaces.
Yet, as of 25 March, only two bodies had been recovered from the debris. On 26 April, authorities temporarily suspended rescue operations, citing dangerous conditions beyond 13.6 km from the inlet, as per a decision by a technical committee. A massive build-up of water seepage, weakening of the tunnel lining, and frequent equipment failures made further excavation extremely hazardous.
In a recent public statement, Telangana Roads and Buildings Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy announced that the SLBC tunnel would be completed within three years, attributing the delay squarely to the collapse. As per his announcement, an independent safety audit has also been proposed to prevent similar mishaps in future stretches.
Of the eight trapped people, four hailed from Jharkhand. They have been identified as Manoj Kumar (Project Engineer – Uttar Pradesh); Srinivas (Field Engineer – Uttar Pradesh); Sandeep Sahu (Worker – Jharkhand); Jatax (Worker – Jharkhand); Santosh Sahu (Worker – Jharkhand); Anuj Sahu (Worker – Jharkhand); Sunny Singh (Worker – Jammu & Kashmir); and Gurpreet Singh (Worker – Punjab).
South First spoke to Babu Sahu, a former worker at the SLBC project, who belongs to the same village in Jharkhand as Sandeep Sahu. “The family is still devastated and not talking to others properly. They recently had to burn Sandeep’s effigy because his body had not been found yet. They still hope that the actual body is returned to them, hopeless as it may seem,” he explained.
Despite reduced manpower on-site, the Nagarkurnool District Collector’s Office confirmed that operations are ongoing. “We are still stuck on the last 30 metres of debris, which is proving extremely difficult due to high subterranean temperatures and structural risks,” they said.
Furthermore, they stated that the operations would continue under the guidance of the technical committee. Yet, they revealed that they could not set an expected timeline for when they would be able to clear out all the debris.
(Edited by Ananya Rao)
