Hyderabad, March 1: The operation to rescue eight trapped persons in a partially collapsed tunnel in Telangana’s Nagarkurnool district entered the final stage on Saturday, a week after the tragedy, with the government refuting reports of bodies being found.

Ambulances were kept ready near the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel amid intensified desilting and machine-cutting operations by multiple rescue teams.

The rescue teams of Army, Navy, NDRF, SDRF, Singareni Mines Rescue, Fire Services, National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI), HYDRAA, South Central Railway plasma cutters, and Rat Miners were focussing on five locations identified by NGRI after scanning the accident site through Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR).

The NGRI experts traced some soft material under the debris in the last 10-15 metres of the tunnel but were not sure whether it was the people trapped inside. Five to seven-metre-high silt deposits have to be cleared at these five locations.

The rescue workers were also busy repairing the conveyor belt. Once this becomes functional, the pace of rescue operations is expected to gather further speed.

Officials said continuous water seepage remained the biggest impediment in the rescue efforts.

Nagarkurnool District Collector Badavath Santosh on Friday night denied that rescue workers found bodies. He urged the media not to broadcast any such news without confirmation as it creates panic.

“NGRI has identified certain points but we can’t say it is 100 per cent correct. It can be metal or it can be something else. We are moving forward as per their finding,” the Collector said.

To speed up the rescue efforts, the authorities are implementing a well-structured plan, utilising advanced technology. The water inside the accident site is being pumped out, and debris is being cleared using plasma gas cutters, officials said.

The necessary rescue equipment is being kept ready to ensure swift operations. The conveyor belt will be brought into use as soon as possible, and excavators have been prepared to remove the sludge, they said.

Special cameras and sensors are being used to continuously monitor the internal conditions of the tunnel.

Two workers were injured and eight others trapped when a portion of the tunnel roof collapsed on February 22 at the 14th km point.

The trapped persons have been identified as Manoj Kumar (UP), Sri Niwas (UP), Sunny Singh (J&K), Gurpreet Singh (Punjab) and Sandeep Sahu, Jegta Xess, Santosh Sahu and Anuj Sahau, all from Jharkhand.

Of the eight, two are engineers, two are operators and remaining four are labourers.

They were employed by Jaiprakash Associates, the contracting firm for the tunnel project

Chamoli (Uttarakhand), Feb 28: A massive avalanche struck Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district on Friday left at least 42 workers engaged in road construction near Mana village, close to the India-Tibet border, trapped under the snow, and a multi-agency operation has been launched to rescue them, officials said.

According to reports, 57 workers were present at the site when the avalanche occurred. While 15 have been rescued and rushed to an army camp in critical condition, efforts are underway to locate the remaining trapped workers.

Rescue operations are being carried out by multiple agencies, including the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and the Army.

An Army statement said, the avalanche struck around 7.15 a.m. near a BRO camp, approximately 3 km ahead of Badrinath Dham, where workers were clearing snow for army movement. The Army’s swift response teams, including over 100 personnel from the Ibex Brigade, doctors, ambulances, and heavy equipment, were immediately mobilized.

An army official stated that ongoing snowfall and intermittent smaller avalanches are slowing rescue efforts, which are being conducted with extreme caution. The General Reserve Engineer Force (GERF) is also working to clear the road between Joshimath and Mana, while additional medical resources from Joshimath are being mobilised.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on X: “Spoke to Chief Minister @pushkardhami ji, DG ITBP, and DG NDRF regarding the Chamoli avalanche. Our priority is to safely evacuate those trapped. The local administration is engaged in full-scale rescue efforts. Two NDRF teams are also en route.”

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed deep concern over the tragedy, stating: “Sad news has been received about workers being buried under an avalanche during BRO’s construction work near Mana. Rescue operations by ITBP, BRO, and other teams are in full swing. I pray to Lord Badri Vishal for everyone’s safety.”

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also posted: “An unfortunate avalanche has struck the Mana area in Joshimath, affecting the BRO’s GREF camp. I have spoken to CM @pushkardhami. The administration is providing all possible assistance, and the Army is leading rescue efforts with all available resources.”

District Magistrate Sandeep Tiwari has directed officials to expedite the rescue mission. He confirmed that 57 workers were engaged in clearing snow for army movement when the avalanche struck. So far, no fatalities have been reported.

A team of the SDRF has been dispatched from Joshimath, while a high-altitude rescue team remains on standby at Sahastradhara helipad, awaiting improved weather for aerial deployment. The Army has also been contacted to clear blocked routes in Lambagad.

Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for Uttarakhand and other hilly regions, warning of extremely heavy snowfall – up to 20 cm – until late Friday night.

Rescue teams continue to battle challenging conditions as efforts intensify to locate and save the trapped workers.

Mumbai: A gas pipeline burst during road excavation in Mia Mohd Chhotani Road on Thursday, causing a fire on the road.

Fire tenders were rushed to the spot. The excavation was being carried out for road repairs.

This is the second incident of a gas pipeline fire in a few days. Previously, a similar incident was reported from Bandra.