The Telangana government has announced that robots will be deployed starting March 11 to assist with rescue operations inside the partially collapsed State Level Bankers` Committee (SLBC). Cadaver dogs will also be brought in again to search for human presence, reported news agency PTI.
Eight people, including engineers and labourers, have been trapped in the tunnel since February 22 when part of it collapsed. In an effort to protect rescue personnel from the hazardous conditions within the tunnel, which include water and slush, robots will be used for the final 70 metres of the site.
“The usage of bots for the last 70 metres [at the accident site] was discussed with the agency concerned and robots will be placed and tried from Tuesday onwards, in addition to all the efforts which are being undertaken now,” a senior official told PTI.
The Geological Survey of India (GSI) has provided an initial report, which cautions that rescue operations should proceed with extreme care in the final 70 metres of the tunnel. According to the official, digging will continue beyond five feet at two identified points where Human Remains Detection Dogs (HRDDs) have indicated that workers may be trapped beneath the second layer of the dismantled tunnel boring machine (TBM).
The HRDDs will be brought into the tunnel on Sunday to assist in the search, PTI reported. The canines, which joined the operation on Friday, are trained to detect human remains.
The dewatering and desiltation operations, conducted by various agencies, will continue as part of the ongoing effort.
Telangana tunnel collapse: CM suggested using robots to avoid further danger to personnel involved in ops
State Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy, who visited the tunnel site to review the rescue operation, has instructed authorities to deploy robots immediately.
This move comes after the discovery that fragments of the damaged TBM posed significant dangers to the safety of the rescue personnel.
“The government will spend Rs 4 crore to undertake the rescue work by utilising the services of robot experts from a Hyderabad-based private company,” the minister said. An official release quoted him explaining that the submerged fragments of the TBM, along with soil and stones inside the tunnel, had created hazards for the rescue teams.
Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, who visited the site on March 2, suggested using robots in the tunnel to avoid further danger to the personnel involved in the operation.
The minister described the tunnel collapse as a national disaster but reiterated the government’s commitment to continue the rescue operation despite the challenging conditions, including low oxygen levels, high water seepage, and the submerged parts of the TBM.
Rescue teams have been cutting apart the TBM in an attempt to reach the trapped workers. The government remains fully supportive of the workers and officials engaged in the rescue efforts, and the minister has instructed officials to use the best available technology to locate the trapped individuals.
Telangana tunnel collapse: Human Remains Detection Dogs are trained to detect missing bodies, people
Special Chief Secretary (Disaster Management) Arvind Kumar, who is overseeing the rescue efforts, provided updates to the minister, discussing the obstacles encountered during the operation, the reasons for the slower-than-expected progress, and strategies to address these issues with experts from the National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI), rat miners, and robotic specialists.
The minister expressed gratitude to all the officials, experts, and personnel working tirelessly on the operation. He also stated that he would return to the site on March 11, with the Chief Minister either visiting the site or reviewing the progress of the operation in Hyderabad.
The rescue mission has been carried out under challenging circumstances, with slush and water seepage complicating efforts. On March 7, HRDDs identified two potential locations where human presence could be detected, and rescue teams are now focused on clearing silt from these spots.
The HRDDs, trained to detect missing humans and human bodies, are particularly valuable as they can detect scents from as deep as 15 feet, according to officials. These Belgian Malinois dogs, from the Kerala police, have been integral to the search efforts.
Since February 22, eight individuals have been trapped in the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) project tunnel, and experts from the NDRF, Indian Army, Navy, and other agencies are continuing their relentless efforts to bring them to safety.
(With PTI inputs)
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