Uttarakhand Rescue Ops: Officials Say 'Very Close' To Trapped Workers As Drilling Resumes — Top Points

Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami for the third consecutive day and reviewed the progress.

The rescue operations in Uttarakhand’s Uttarkashi where 41 workers were trapped after a part of an under-construction tunnel collapsed on November 12 has entered its 11th day on Wednesday. The horizontal drilling has started, said a personnel of the National Disaster Response Force present at the spot. 

The Border Road Organisation said that the construction of the access road has been completed and has been handed over to the rescue agency. 

Meanwhile, ambulances have also reached the site and have been put on stand-by. 

• The drilling, which was suspended since Friday when the auger machine hit a hard object resumed on Wednesday. "The rescue operation is going really well. A good horizontal drill is happening... According to my knowledge, we are very close to victims now," NDRF Second in Command Ravi S Badhan told ANI. 


• "The situation of the trapped worker is fine. They were given the morning breakfast. Communication is well established. They are talking nicely to their family members. Their morale is high," Badhan added.


• Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami for the third consecutive day and took stock of the progress. "We are receiving continuous guidance from the PM," said Dhami in a social media post.


• “Respected Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi ji spoke on the phone today and took information about the ongoing rescue operations to provide food, medicines and other essential items to the workers trapped in the tunnel under construction in Silkyara, Uttarkashi and to get them out safely,” Dhami said in a post on X. 


• Former advisor to the Prime Minister's Office Bhaskar Khulbe also visited the rescue site and lauded the efforts of the rescuers. 


• "It is a matter of great pleasure for us that 39 metres of pipeline has been drilled from inside the horizontal pipeline tunnel. Everything is going good. I spoke to them, and everyone was in high spirits. Let us hope we will be able to achieve it," Khulbe said while speaking to reporters. 


• Ambulances have also been put on stand-by at the site. "Four ambulances have been stationed so far and 35-36 ambulances will be here soon that have been sent from Dehradun, Haridwar and Tehri," ambulance driver Naveen told ANI.


• Another ambulance staff member, Harish said that all arrangements have been made such as oxygen cylinders and masks, stretcher, BP equipment "All machines and facilities are here...A demand for 40-41 ambulances was forwarded," he said.