• Source:JND
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Uttarkashi Tunnel Collapse Rescue: The rescue operations at the Silkyara tunnel have entered the 16th day today and drilling is still going on. After suffering another setback with an auger drill machine on Sunday, the officials opted for vertical drilling and have managed to drill progress over a distance of 80 metres down the ground to rescue the trapped workers.

The vertical approach was one of at least five options on which preparatory work had begun some days back. Rescue workers have to drill down 86 metres to reach the tunnel. By evening, the heavy drilling equipment had bored down to about 19.5 metres.

According to officials, the vertical boring would be over by Thursday if there were no hurdles. As the drilling progresses, 700-mm wide pipes are being inserted to create an escape passage. A little distance away, a thinner, 200-mm probe is being pushed in. It has reached the 70-metre mark.

 

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Indian Army has joined the relief operations and has been given the task of manual drilling. As per reports, a unit of Madras Sappers, an engineer group of the Corps of Engineers of the Indian Army, arrived at the site today to assist in the rescue operations.

This portion of the tunnel collapsed on Diwali morning, cutting off the exit of the workers inside. A huge auger drill – a corkscrew-like device with a rotary blade at the front end – that is drilling into this stretch of debris got stuck Friday evening, forcing officials to give up on the 25-tonne machine.

On Sunday morning, a plasma cutter was airlifted from Hyderabad to supplement the gas cutter. A team from the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Army engineers from the Madras Sappers also reached Silkyara. By Sunday evening, only 8.15 metres of the 47 metres of the auger shaft that had been pushed into the debris remained to be cut and removed.

From Tuesday, rescue workers will start drilling a 180-metre alternative escape tunnel into the side of the hill. This could take 12-14 days. Officials said drilling is also being carried out from the Barkot end of the tunnel, and the work has progressed about 10 out of 483 metres. This approach could take up to 40 days of drilling.

The trapped workers are in a built-up two-kilometre stretch of the tunnel. They are being sent food, medicines and other essentials through a six-inch wide pipe. A communication system has also been set up and families occasionally talk to them.

Relatives of those trapped inside remained anxious after drilling with the auger machine was abandoned. "Once he comes out, we will never allow him to work here again," Manjeet's father Chowdhury said. Chowdhury spoke to his son through the communication link on Sunday.

Union Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways V K Singh visited the disaster site again on Sunday. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami met the family of trapped worker Pushkar Singh Eiri at his home in Tanakpur, assuring them everyone will be brought out safely.