Robot joins tunnel rescue mission in Telangana
The Telangana government deployed a robot on Tuesday to assist in rescuing seven people trapped under debris in the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel in Nagarkurnool district.
On the 18th day of operations, Anvi Robotics representatives Vijay and Akshay entered the tunnel via a loco train with an AI-equipped robot. They also set up a communication system at a nearby office for better coordination. Officials used robotic assistance to prevent human casualties during the rescue.
Rescue teams deployed cadaver dogs to locate bodies and provided essential safety gear. Along with Anvi Robotics, 110 personnel from NDRF, SDRF, Singareni Collieries, South Central Railways, and Rat Miners intensified search efforts inside the tunnel.
Special Chief Secretary (Disaster Management) Arvind Kumar and Nagar Kurnool District Collector Badavath Santosh led a review meeting at the SLBC tunnel office. Officials discussed rescue procedures, robotics use, debris removal, and safety measures while issuing directives to speed up operations.
Rescue teams retrieved one body on Sunday night. On Monday, cadaver dogs identified two more possible body locations about 16 meters from the tunnel boring machine. Excavation began at these sites, but Singareni miners warned of delicate conditions. As water drained, hardened debris made digging difficult.
To prevent soil collapses, officials brought logs for structural support. They estimated that 15 feet of soil must be excavated at the three identified sites to complete the operation.
