Hyderabad:
At least 30 workers are feared trapped after a portion of an under-construction tunnel collapsed in Telangana on Saturday. The construction firm has sent an assessment team inside for more details, the police said. The collapse occurred on a portion of the tunnel behind the Srisailam dam on the under-construction stretch of the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) in Nagarkurnool district, said officials.
“A portion of the SLBC tunnel behind the Srisailam dam near Domalapenta experienced a collapse on Saturday. In particular, at the 14th km point, the roof of the left-side tunnel collapsed for three meters. This happened when employees were performing their duties at the site,” said an official statement.
The tunnel had reopened just four days ago, it added.
Chief Minister Revanth Reddy expressed shock over the incident in an online post, and while he mentioned several people were injured in the collapse, he did not share any exact figures.
“After receiving information about the tunnel collapse and several injuries, the Chief Minister immediately alerted the officials. He ordered the District Collector, SP, Fire Department, Hydra, and Irrigation Department officials to immediately reach the spot and provide relief measures,” said the CMO.
Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar and other officials from his department have left for the accident site in a special helicopter, it added.
