“The government completely and utterly failed to coordinate the various agencies asked to come for help with the rescue. We spoke to officials from the various teams. No one was told what to do, how to go forward. It is six days after the accident today and if these are the conditions, then what about the lives of the trapped workers?” he asked.

Harish Rao, who was accompanied by a few other senior BRS leaders to the tunnel works site, complimented the NDRF and others in the rescue teams. “Our wish is that the rescue is speeded up, the conveyor belt is repaired for faster removal of the silt, and involve more NDRF and SCCL teams while ensuring safety of the rescuers,” he said.

“However, they are not able to do anything because ministers fly in in the morning and fly out in the evening. The Chief Minister, did not find to come and review but went on campaign, and to Delhi. The conveyor belt, according to workers, will take another two or three days to be repaired by Uttam Kumar Reddy said rescue will be done in two days,” he said.

“Even today — after six days — they are in no shape to get the debris out. The cutting of the TBM parts and desilting should have started earlier. All these delays are because the government could not provide directions,” Harish Rao said.

On ministers Uttam Kumar Reddy, Jupally Krishna Rao and Komatireddy Venkatreddy saying BRS government did nothing for the SLBC tunnel, Harish Rao said in nine years, the then Congress government spent Rs 3,300 crore and the BRS government spent Rs 3,900 crore on the project. It also gave Rs 200 crore advances to get bearings for the two TBMs. Twelve km of the tunnel was dug during the BRS regime, but in 15 months of Congress government, not even 15 metres of tunnel was dug, he said.