Nagarkurnool (Telangana) [India], March 14 (ANI): Rescue operations are underway in Nagarkurnool on Friday for seven workers still trapped inside the SLBC Tunnel of the Srisailam Left Bank Canal since February 22.

On Tuesday, robotic teams entered the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel for search and rescue operations for the trapped workers. 110 rescue personnel, along with Anvi Robo experts, entered the tunnel to carry out the operations.

Rescue teams have removed the body of one worker from inside the tunnel on March 10.

Following the incident, Telangana CM Revanth Reddy and Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy expressed condolences over the death of the worker, identified as Gurpreet Singh, an official statement from Telangana CMO read.

Chief Minister Reddy also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 25 lakhs for the kin of the deceased.

On March 9, Telangana Minister for Irrigation and Civil Supplies Uttam Kumar Reddy announced that robotic technology had been deployed to accelerate the ongoing rescue operations at the SLBC tunnel near Domalapenta in the Nagarkurnool district, where eight workers were trapped.

Calling the incident a national disaster, he emphasised that the state government is utilizing the best global technology to overcome the challenges in the final stretch of the 14-kilometre-long tunnel.

On March 6, two cadaver dogs from the Kerala Police and their handlers were brought to assist in the rescue operations at the Telangana tunnel collapse site.

On February 22, a three-meter section of the roof of an under-construction stretch of the SLBC tunnel collapsed at the 14 km mark near Domalapenta in the Nagarkurnool district in Telangana. The collapse occurred just four days after construction work had resumed following a lengthy hiatus. While some workers managed to escape, eight got trapped. (ANI)