Senior officials at the tunnel are overseeing the search operation and ensuring efficient deployment of manpower and machinery.
Published Mar 07, 2025 | 1:10 PM ⚊ Updated Mar 07, 2025 | 1:10 PM
More than 100 people are involved in the search and rescue operation. (Supplied)
Synopsis: The condition of the eight trapped men remained uncertain even as the search operation continued on day 14.
Search and rescue operations in the collapsed Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) Tunnel have intensified as teams continued their efforts to locate the eight trapped workers.
On Friday, 7 March, multiple specialised units, including robotic experts, an IIT-Madras professor, and cadaver dogs, joined the complex search operation.
At 11:25 am, a four-member team from Hyderabad-based ANVI Robotics entered the tunnel, deploying robotic technology to assess conditions and identify potential paths to reach the missing workers.
Accompanying them was a professor from IIT-Madras, providing technical expertise. This marks the second visit for the professor and the robotic experts, who had previously inspected the surroundings of the tunnel on Thursday.
The robotic team is using specialised equipment to navigate the debris and evaluate the structural stability of the tunnel. Their findings are expected to assist rescuers in formulating the next course of action.
In a crucial development, two highly trained cadaver dogs — Murphy and Maya — from the Kerala Police K-9 squad have entered the tunnel.
These Belgian Malinois dogs are known for their exceptional search abilities and had previously played a key role in the rescue operations at landslides-hit Chooralmala in Kerala’s Wayanad district.
Flown in by an Army helicopter on Thursday, the dog squad is working closely with rescue teams to locate any signs of the missing workers.
Disaster Management Special Chief Secretary Arvind Kumar is overseeing operations, ensuring continuous coordination between teams. Upon receiving reports of battery issues and the urgent need for a rock cutter, he swiftly arranged for a locomotive to transport the required equipment into the tunnel.
Senior officials, including Nagarkurnool District Collector Badavath Santosh and Superintendent of Police Vaibhav Gaikwad, are closely monitoring the ongoing rescue efforts, ensuring that resources and manpower are deployed efficiently.
Despite relentless operations by multiple agencies, no trace of the trapped workers has been found yet. With robotic analysis, expert guidance, and advanced search dogs now in action, rescue teams are racing against time to locate the missing individuals.
The collapsed tunnel section remains a formidable challenge, but officials remain determined to exhaust all possible means to bring the operation to a successful conclusion.
A portion of the tunnel’s roof collapsed on the morning of 22 February, trapping eight workers. Though the search and rescue operation received a boost with the restoration of the conveyor belt, the whereabouts or the condition of the trapped men remained unknown.
(Edited by Majnu Babu).
