Uttarkashi Tunnel Rescue Operation Live Updates: In one of India’s biggest rescue operations, all 41 workers trapped inside the Silkyara tunnel were successfully evacuated on Tuesday (Nov 28) evening. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami was seen smiling and hugging the workers. Talking to media after the rescue mission concluded, Dhami said that all workers are fine and no one was taken out on stretcher. The workers are now being taken to the local hospital. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Ministers Nitin Gadkari, Rajnath Singh, Piyush Goyal took to X to express their relief and happiness over the success of the rescue mission.
Dhami announced that all workers will be given Rs 1 lakh each. Earlier in the day, the rescue of 41 workers trapped inside the Silkyara tunnel in Uttarakhand’s Uttarkashi entered the final phase. The rescuers achieved the breakthrough. An 8-bed emergency medical unit was set up inside the tunnel. Both NDRF and SDRF teams were inside the tunnel. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, Union Minister VK Singh and other officials were also present at the spot.
Earlier in the day, a group of “rat-hole miners” initiated manual drilling activities to access the 41 workers. This is the 17th day of rescue operations. Approximately 24 skilled “rat-hole mining” specialists were engaged in the manual drilling procedure, working to excavate a narrow passageway leading to the trapped workers.
This outlawed, labor-intensive process requires the removal of debris and the establishment of a secure route for the ongoing rescue efforts. The workers are currently only 5 meters away from the rescue team. Some reports say that ‘Jai Mata Di’ chants can be heard from the other side. An international mining expert said that he heard that the workers trapped inside the tunnel are ‘playing cricket’. A green corridor has been set up to take the workers straight to the hospital.
Here are the latest updates on Uttarkashi tunnel rescue:
Anil Bediya, one of the 41 labourers who were rescued from a collapsed Uttarakhand tunnel after 17 days, survived the ordeal by eating 'muri' (puffed rice) and licking water dripping from rocks. "It was a nightmarish ordeal...we licked water dripping from rocks to quench our thirst and survived on muri for the first 10 days," Bediya, who is now recuperating at a Uttarakhand hospital, said.
In an exclusive first byte, rescued worker Vishwajeet Kumar Verma narrates his 17-day ordeal of being trapped in the Silkyara tunnel. He said, "When the debris fell, we knew that we were stuck. For the first 10-15 hours we faced difficulty. But later, a pipe was put in to provide us with rice, dal & dry fruits. Later a mic was installed & I was able to talk to my family members...I am happy now, will celebrate Diwali now."
According to several media reports, CM Pushkar Singh Dhami and Union minister VK Singh will distribute cheque of Rs 1 lakh to all 41 workers
Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to X (formerly Twitter) to express his happiness as all workers were successfully rescued from the Silkyara tunnel. Lauding all teams involved in the mega rescue, Modi said that the coordinated efforts have set a new benchmark
This operation stands out as a highly organized collaboration involving multiple agencies, representing a notable rescue effort in recent times, says Nitin Gadkari. Despite encountering numerous challenges, different departments and agencies worked seamlessly together, complementing each other's efforts. The collective hard work and genuine commitment from all involved, along with widespread prayers, played a crucial role in the success of this operation. The relentless dedication of the rescue teams has produced positive outcomes.
President Droupadi Murmu tweets, "I feel relieved and happy to learn that all the workers trapped in a tunnel in Uttarakhand have been rescued. Their travails over 17 days, as the rescue effort met with obstacles, have been a testament of human endurance. The nation salutes their resilience and remains grateful to them for building critical infrastructure, even at great personal risk, far away from their homes. I congratulate the teams and all experts who have acted with incredible grit and determination to perform one of the most difficult rescue missions in history"
All 41 workers trapped inside the Silkyara tunnel in Uttarakhand since November 12, have been successfully rescued. 5 Ambulances left from the Silkyara tunnel site as all the workers trapped inside the tunnel have been successfully rescued.
Out of 41 workers, 19 have been evacuated with the help of thousands of workforce by three government teams. Locals offer sweets outside the Silkyara tunnel as trapped workers are rescued.
As per reports, rescued workers are good in health as CM Pushkar Singh Dhami meets the workers who have been rescued from inside the Silkyara tunnel.
https://x.com/ANI/status/1729508446477631999?s=20
Slowly and steadly, more and more workers are taken out by removing the debris through the rat-hoke mining process. So far, 8 people have been out, adding more with every passing time.
One of the workers is out in ambulance and within few minutes other trapped workers will be rescued.
As per the recent updates by India Today, five workers out of 41 have been evacuted after 17 days of struggle.
National Disaster Management Authority Member, Lt General (Rtd) Syed Ata Hasnain on Tuesday said that the entire operation to evacuate workers from the Silkyara tunnel will take 3-4 hours adding that they are not in a "hurry." Addressing a press briefing in New Delhi, NDMA Member Syed Ata Hasnain said, "It is estimated that it will take 3-5 minutes to evacuate each of the 41 persons. The entire evacuation is expected to take 3-4 hours from the Silkyara tunnel after the breakthrough is achieved."
Lieutenant General (Retd.) Syed Ata Hasnain, Member, NDMA, says "We are near a breakthrough but not yet there."
The Chinook helicopter of the Indian Air Force has landed near the tunnel. The helicopter will airlift the workers to the Chinyalisaur hospital after the rescue.
Due to the rescue operation, a temporary medical facility has been expanded inside the tunnel. After evacuating the trapped workers, health training will be done at this place. In case of any problem, 8 beds are arranged by the health department and a team of doctors and experts are deployed. (ANI)
Marigold garlands brought to Silkyara tunnel rescue site in anticipation of early rescue
Akhilesh Kumar - UP
Ankit - UP
Ram Milan - UP
Satyadev - UP
Santosh - UP
Jai Prakash - UP
Ram Sundar - UP
Manjeet - UP
Vishwajit Kumar Jharkhand
Subodh Kumar - Jharkhand
Vishal - Himachal Pradesh
Anil Bediya - Jharkhand
Shrafendra Dediya - Jharkhand
Sukram - Jharkhand
Tinku Sardar - Jharkhand
Gunodhar - Jharkhand
Ranjeet - Jharkhand
Ravindra - Jharkhand
Sameer - Jharkhand
Mahadev - Jharkhand
Bhuktu Murmu - Jharkhand
Chamra Oraon - Jharkhand
Vijay Horo - Jharkhand
Ganpati - Jharkand
Sabah Ahmad - Bihar
Sonu Shah - Bihar
Virendra Kisku - Bihar
Sushil Kumar - Bihar
Deepak Kumar - Bihar
Manir Talukdar - West Bengal
Sevika Pakhera - West Bengal
Jaidev Pramanik - West Bengal
Tapan Mandal - Odisha
Bhagwan Batra - Odisha
Visheshar Nayak - Odisha
Raju Nayak - Odisha
Dheeren - Odisha
Sanjay Assam
Ram Prasad - Assam
Gabbar Singh Negi- Uttarakhand
Pushkar - Uttarakhand
Union Minister VK Singh says that the rescuers are exercising extreme caution and they won't rush in. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has also reached the rescue site.
General VK Singh (Retd), former advisor to the Prime Minister's Office Bhaskar Khulbe, and former Engineer-In-Chief and Director General of the Border Roads Organization Lieutenant General Harpal Singh (Retd) have reached the Silkyara tunnel rescue site.
Our brothers are coming home shortly, posts CM Dhami
Check out the latest visuals from Uttarkashi
Ambulances with oxygen cylinders are being taken inside the tunnel. Apart from NDRF, SDRF teams are also there.
An ambulance being taken inside the tunnel. As per the latest update, pipe has been inserted up to 55.3 metres
Latest reports say that the teams of NDRF are moving inside the tunnel. There's lot of buzz outside the Silkyara tunnel as imminent breakthrough is expected anytime now.
Several ambulances can be seen outside the Silkyara tunnel. Mattresses, doctors are being taken inside. Officials say that the green corridor is being readied to take the workers straight to the hospital.
After repeated hindrances, the Uttarkashi rescuers decided to rope in rat-hole miners to bring out the 41 workers, who have been trapped for more than 2 weeks. The experts have finally opted for a more successful-yet-hazardous option – rat-hole mining. Rat-hole mining is a risky method where small groups of miners go down narrow tunnels to extract small amounts of coal. (READ MORE)
55.3 metres of drilling has been completed, say latest reports. Rat-hole miners are working non-stop, say the Uttarakhand govt