Alleging gross negligence by the Congress government, KTR held Chief Minister Revanth Reddy responsible for prioritising election campaigns over relief efforts.
Published Feb 25, 2025 | 6:14 PM ⚊ Updated Feb 25, 2025 | 6:14 PM
Synopsis: BRS leader KT Rama Rao has demanded a judicial inquiry into the Srisailam tunnel collapse, accusing the Telangana Congress government of gross negligence and prioritising election campaigns over rescue efforts. Criticising the lack of necessary approvals and technical studies, he held Chief Minister Revanth Reddy accountable for the disaster.
Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) Working President KT Rama Rao (KTR) on Wednesday, 25 February, demanded the immediate constitution of a judicial commission led by a sitting High Court judge to investigate the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel accident.
Eight workers have remained trapped within the collapsed section since Saturday, while rescue efforts continue to face mounting difficulties.
Alleging gross negligence by the Congress government, KTR held Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy responsible for prioritising election campaigns over relief efforts.
Elections to five MLC seats in Telangana has been slated for 20 March.
He further criticised the state government for allowing tunnel construction without necessary approvals from Geological Survey of India (GSI) experts, describing it as a “shocking display of incompetence and inexperience”.
He questioned the chief minister’s absence from relief operations, stating, “Is there no time for the CM to ensure the rescue of these workers while he flies around in helicopters for campaigns?”
Highlighting a pattern of mishaps under the Congress regime, KTR recalled three major accidents in the past 14 months.
He cited the complete washout of the Peddavagu project in Khammam and the collapse of the Sunkishala project’s retaining wall – meant to supply drinking water to Hyderabad – causing losses worth hundreds of crores.
Referring to the SLBC tunnel collapse, KTR expressed deep concern over the slow pace of rescue operations and accused the government of recklessness, stating that restarting the tunnel project without technical studies or GSI approval directly endangered lives and public money.
“If you didn’t do any technical study before restarting the project and carelessly put lives and public funds at risk, you have no one to blame but yourselves,” he said.
He further lashed out at ministers N Uttam Kumar Reddy and Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, and remarked that while one was “shamelessly singing praises of their work,” the other remained “clueless” despite the crisis.
“After four days of work at SLBC, all they have to show is eight missing workers, debris, slush, and a ₹300 crore damage to machinery. It is appalling that they feel proud of such a failure,” he added.
KTR further urged the Congress government to “reveal the truth” behind the SLBC accident and the Sunkishala wall collapse and called for swift action involving central government agencies and the Army to expedite rescue efforts.
“The lives lost and families affected deserve truth and accountability. The Congress government must ensure transparency and justice, which is grossly missing so far,” KTR asserted.
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
