Sat Mar 08 17:31:08 UTC 2025: ## Telangana to Deploy Robots in SLBC Tunnel Rescue Operation
**Hyderabad, March 9, 2024** – The Telangana government will deploy robots starting March 11th in its ongoing rescue operation at the partially collapsed Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel. Eight individuals have been trapped since February 22nd, following a tunnel section collapse.
The decision to utilize robots follows a Geological Survey of India (GSI) report recommending extreme caution in the final 70 meters of the tunnel due to hazardous conditions, including water, slush, and fragments from the damaged tunnel boring machine (TBM). The robots aim to mitigate risks to human rescuers. The government will spend ₹4 crore (approximately $480,000 USD) on this initiative.
Cadaver dogs will also be redeployed on Sunday to pinpoint potential locations of trapped workers, having previously identified two possible sites. Digging will proceed beyond five feet at these points, targeting workers potentially trapped beneath the dismantled TBM. The ongoing dewatering and desiltation efforts will continue.
Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy, who visited the site, stressed the government’s commitment to the rescue operation, describing the incident as a national disaster. He emphasized the use of cutting-edge technology, including the robots provided by a Hyderabad-based private company, to locate and rescue the trapped individuals. Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao had previously suggested the use of robots.
The challenging conditions, including low oxygen levels and significant water seepage, continue to hamper the rescue efforts, which involve teams from the NDRF, Indian Army, and Navy. Highly trained cadaver dogs from Kerala police are aiding in the search.
First Piper 