HYDERABAD: Rescue teams from the national and state disaster response force, army, and HYDRA reached the endpoint of the tunnel machine on Sunday, within 24 hours after the portion of the tunnel roof collapsed at about 8.30 am on Saturday.
They called out the names of some of the eight people trapped on the front side of the machine, but sources said there was no reply.
“Rescuers are inching closer to the people trapped, and efforts are on to make way to the front side of the machine to save them by cutting through the gantry, reinforcement, and segments that collapsed. It is a nearly 200-metre long machine. We are hoping to save every life. The machine is presently about 13 km inside the tunnel,” Aditya Nath Das, irrigation advisor to the state govt, told TOI.

The rescue personnel were able to reach up to 13 km inside the tunnel. Irrigation minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy and excise minister Jupally Krishna Rao, along with irrigation officials, are monitoring the rescue operations at the spot.
Presently, rescue teams are clearing the debris filled with iron, muck, and cement blocks. Of the eight trapped inside, two engineers and four labourers belong to Jaiprakash Associates, and two are employees of a US company.
Chief minister A Revanth Reddy is constantly reviewing the situation and has directed the officials to expedite the rescue operation to save those trapped.

Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi spoke to Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy over the phone on Sunday morning about the ongoing rescue operations to save eight trapped persons in the SLBC tunnel in Nagarkurnool district.
During the nearly 20-minute update, CM Revanth explained the urgency with which the state govt responded after a portion of the roof of the under-construction tunnel collapsed on Saturday.
CM Revanth informed Rahul Gandhi that irrigation minister Uttam Kumar Reddy was rushed to the spot while National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) rescue teams were deployed.

The Chief Minister also told Rahul Gandhi about the steps taken for the medical relief of those injured and to reach out to the families of those trapped inside. Rahul Gandhi appreciated the steps taken, the constant vigil and monitoring, and asked the state govt to leave no stone unturned to try to save the trapped workers.
Earlier, Rahul Gandhi expressed shock over the incident. “Deeply distressed to learn about the tunnel roof collapse in Telangana. My thoughts are with those trapped inside and their families at this difficult time,” he posted on ‘X’.
“I have been informed that rescue operations are underway, and the state govt along with disaster relief teams are doing everything possible to expeditiously bring back those in danger,” he added.