Rescue agencies suggest alternative small-diametre tunnels to skip unstable strata

HYDERABAD The team leaders of key rescue agencies involved in tracing the eight persons trapped in the Srisailam Left Bank Canal tunnel since February 22 morning have informed Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy that debris removal in the last 20 metres of the tunnel is most problematic and challenging. Since that portion of the tunnel, particularly its left flank and roof, is still loose and not stable with seepage of water in high volume going on, the government could consider alternative tunnel roots from the 13.45 km from the mouth to link it with the original path where the stable strata is available. Another rescue agency team leader felt that the seepage water accumulated in the rock formation faults over the years had gushed out once the tunnel excavation was resumed after years of work shutdown, leading to its roof collapse and huge volume of water and mud filling the tunnel. Pankaj Gaur of the work agency Jaiprakash Associates said the conveyor belt which had gone out of order is expected to become functional again by Monday evening as its non-availability was badly hampering the shifting of debris and muck from the tunnel accident area to outside the tunnel to help trace the trapped persons.