Telangana High Court disposes PIL on SLBC tunnel rescue operations

Army’s Engineer Task Force continue the rescue operations on March 3, 2025, at the collapsed Srisailam Left Bank Canal tunnel in Nagarkurnool, Telangana,
| Photo Credit: ANI

Telangana High Court on Monday disposed of the PIL petition seeking a direction to State government to expedite efforts to extricate the eight workers trapped inside the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel, after taking into consideration the explanation by Advocate General A. Sudershan Reddy over the steps taken by government in the matter. 

The petition was filed by National Union for Migrant Workers represented by its vice-president P.V.K.K. Bhargav requesting the HC to instruct the government to initiate all steps for rescuing the workers trapped under the rubble and a host of measures such as paying compensation to the families and preparing plans to ensure such incidents do not recur. 

Also Read | South Centra Railway team cuts through tunnel boring machine’s collapsed platform accelerating debris removal

The AG, presenting his contentions before the bench of Acting Chief Justice Sujoy Paul and Justice Renuka Yara, explained that the 44-kilometre-long SLBC-1 tunnel witnessed a sudden structural collapse from Srisailam entrance. This resulted in eight workers getting trapped under the rubble. The State government had pressed into service various agencies to rescue the trapped workers. 

Personnel from the Indian Army, Indian Navy, National Disaster Response Force, State Disaster Response Force, HYDRAA, technical teams from Singareni Collieries and experts like Rat Miners were working round-the-clock at the site to extricate the workers. Members of the State Cabinet and the Chief Minister also visited the site where rescue operations were in full swing, the AG said. 

The petitioner’s counsel contended that the State government should think of paying compensation to the dependents of the trapped workers. The authorities should also work on safety measures to be adopted for the benefit of workers involved in such risky works, the lawyer said. After hearing the explanation of the AG, the bench disposed of the PIL petition. However, the other contentions like safety measures for workers engaged for such projects would remain open for adjudication later, the bench said.