HYDERABAD: Rescue teams attempting to save the eight workers trapped inside the collapsed Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel since Saturday are not only racing against time but also battling continuous seepage and thick slush that have significantly slowed down operations. Transport Minister Jupally Krishna Rao, speaking on Monday morning, admitted the grim reality of the situation: “To be honest, the chances of their survival are very, very, very, very remote. Because I myself went up to the end, almost just 50 metres short (of the accident site) … Mud has piled up to 25 feet.” While the fate of the trapped workers remains uncertain, officials believe they could be safe if they managed to reach the tunnel boring machine’s (TBM) designated safe chamber. On Monday, 14 rat-hole miners and sniffer dogs were deployed to aid the rescue mission. However, the sniffer dogs were unable to enter the tunnel due to water accumulation. In addition to the miners, 584 experts from the NDRF, SDRF, Army, Navy, and the National Highways Authority of India, as well as teams from JP Associates and Navayuga, have conducted seven inspections inside the tunnel over the past 50 hours.
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