Debris removal work in SLBC going on at brisk pace

HYDERABAD

Debris removal including shifting of pieces of the tunnel boring machine (TBM) from the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel is going on round-the-clock, as part of the efforts to trace the bodies of remaining six persons trapped under the debris about 14 km inside the tunnel from February 22 morning.

According to the Special Officer appointed to supervise the rescue operation and coordinate with the multi-agency rescue teams, the rescue operation is going on at a brisk pace. He reviewed the progress of the work with the team leads of rescue agencies at the inlet office of the work agency Jaypee Associates near Domalapenta village of Amrabad mandal in Nagarkurnool district on Friday.

The hardened muck or silt, which was being dug with the help of mini excavators, was being loaded onto the conveyor belt available from 13.730 km with five excavators working as a link chain from digging to loading the debris onto the conveyor belt. The TBM, which was badly damaged in the tunnel roof collapse, was being cut into pieces with the help of technicians from the South Central Railway and was being loaded onto the locomotive to shift them out of the tunnel.

Similarly, the dewatering process was also in progress seamlessly to ensure a free and safe work environment inside the tunnel. Officials of the Army, State Disaster Response Force, SCR, HYDRAA, Singareni Miners, Rathole miners, Jaypee Associates and others participated in the review meeting.