NAGARKURNOOL: The rescue operation at the partially collapsed SLBC tunnel, where eight people have been trapped for the past 12 days, continued at a brisk pace on Wednesday, with excavation being carried out at locations suggested by scientists to look for human presence.
The conveyor belt at the tunnel, which has been repaired and made operational, is assisting the rescue teams in shifting debris out, officials said.
The belt was damaged after the accident on February 22.
Rescue teams are also conducting drills at other locations based on input from scientists at the National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI) in Hyderabad, who are using Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) to detect human presence.
However, tough conditions inside the tunnel, including muck and water, have posed challenges for the rescue personnel. Earlier inspections at other locations identified by the scientists did not reveal any signs of human presence.
Officials on Tuesday evening said the representatives of the National Centre for Seismology in Delhi have also joined rescue efforts. The scientists will conduct studies related to seismology at the tunnel.
According to officials, the last parts of the Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) would be cut using a gas cutter and would be brought out of the tunnel in a loco train.
Eight persons - engineers and labourers - have been trapped in the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) project tunnel since February 22, and experts from the NDRF, Indian Army, Navy and other agencies are making relentless efforts to pull them out to safety.