Hyderabad, Mar 18 (UNI) Rescue teams are working in coordination to expedite relief operations at the SLBC tunnel accident site, officials reported on Tuesday.

Special Chief Secretary for Disaster and Management Arvind Kumar, Nagarkurnool District Collector Badawat Santosh, and District SP Vaibhav Gaikwad Raghunath held a review meeting with senior relief team officials at the SLBC Tunnel Office.

During the meeting, officials informed that a cadaver dog squad from Kerala entered the tunnel on Tuesday morning to locate those trapped in the accident site. They reviewed the ongoing rescue operations and provided suggestions to enhance the speed of the relief efforts.

The officials explained that the platform parts of the tunnel boring machine (TBM) are being cut rapidly, and soil removal around the TBM is progressing at double speed. Rescue teams are working 24 hours a day to ensure swift progress. The cut parts of the TBM are being extracted using an excavator and transported out by a loco train, while soil is being moved out via a conveyor belt.

The Geological Survey of India (GSI) inspected the accident site, analyzing underground conditions such as geological structure, ground level changes, soil brittleness, and water flow impacts. Based on their study, they provided several recommendations to improve the efficiency of rescue operations.

Government officials, defence personnel, engineers, geologists, and experienced rescue teams are working in coordinated efforts using advanced equipment, including drilling machines, sensors, and robotic technology.

Key agencies involved include the Singareni Mines Rescue Team, Army, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Rat Hole Miners, Cadaver Dog squads, Hydra, Anvi Robotics, South Central Railway, GSI, and the Water Resources Department.

Their joint efforts aim to accelerate the relief operations and ensure a successful rescue mission, an official statement said.

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