Uttarakhand tunnel collapse: Rescue operations to free 40 workers trapped beneath the debris of a collapsed tunnel on the Char Dham route in Uttarakhand entered their sixth day on Friday. Rescue workers in Uttarkashi toiled overnight using a robust machine, making headway by Friday morning as they drilled up to 21 meters into the debris-filled Silkyara tunnel.
Uttarkashi tunnel rescue: A heavy-duty drilling machine bored through 12 metres of rubble of the collapsed tunnel on the Char Dham route in Uttarakhand on Thursday, raising hopes for the rescue of 40 workers trapped inside for over four days.
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) November 17, 2023
Officials said in the evening that a… pic.twitter.com/nNif8MUeki
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) According to Anshu Manish Khalkho, Director of NHIDCL, the workers need to drill up to 60 metres to insert 800 mm and 900 mm diameter pipes – one after the other — with the help of a giant drill machine till an escape passage is created for the labourers stuck behind the collapsed portion of the under-construction tunnel, PTI reported.
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The labourers have been trapped since Sunday morning when a portion of the tunnel collapsed due to a landslide.
“Drilling has been done up to 21 metres so far”, stated the state emergency operation centre’s control room in Silkyara. The area with accumulated debris starts 270 meters from the tunnel’s entrance on the Silkyara side.
Uttarkashi District Magistrate Abhishek Ruhela confirmed the safety of the stranded workers, mentioning their access to vital supplies such as oxygen, medication, and sustenance via pipelines. He also emphasized ongoing communication efforts aimed at boosting their morale during this challenging period.
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Yesterday, an IAF-flown heavy-duty drilling machine from Delhi began clearing the rubble of the collapsed tunnel on the Char Dham route in Uttarakhand, marking a fresh attempt to create an exit for the 40 trapped workers.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami stated,”The drilling machine has been installed and is already working there (at the tunnel collapse site). The conditions are tough there, but soon the drilling work will be complete. Hopefully, all goes well and we will rescue our brothers soon,” he added.
Union Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways V K Singh visited the site to oversee the rescue operation as the new drilling machine commenced its work.
(With PTI inputs)