It has been 16 days since the 41 workers, who were trapped after an under-construction tunnel collapsed in Uttarakhand’s Uttarkashi, are awaiting to see the light of the day. The rescuers have been putting all their efforts by means of technology and techniques in a bid to pull out the labourers as soon as possible but the rough terrain of the mountains have foiled several attempts.
The construction of the tunnel is a part of the Char Dham all weather road project which would boost the connectivity to the Hindu pilgrimage sites of Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri.
The rescuers have been involved in vertical drilling and have completed upto 31 metres, former DG of Border Roads Organisation Harpal Singh said on Monday. Rescuers need to manually dig 10 to 12 metres through the rubble after the auger machine broke down.
Here is a timeline of all that has happened so far in the rescue operation.
November 12: On the day of Diwali, 41 workers get trapped after the under-construction tunnel collapses at around 5:30 am. On receiving information that the workers were trapped, the district administration starts the rescue operation on the spot.
November 13: The workers were contacted through the pipe supplying oxygen. Information about the workers being safe came out of the tunnel. Chief Minister Pushkar Dhami reaches the spot.
Meanwhile, debris keeps falling on the tunnel from above spreading up to about 60 metres. The operation of the rescue team becomes even more difficult.
November 14: Steel pipes brought at the site. Food, water, oxygen, electricity and medicines continued to be supplied to the stranded labourers. Some workers complained of headaches and other ailments.
November 15: First drilling machine does not yield results. NHIDCL demands a state-of-the-art American made auger machine for drilling.
A platform is prepared for the auger machine, but a fresh landslide damages it.
November 16: The drilling machine was assembled and installed on the platform. This machine starts working after midnight.
November 17: Rescuers drill through 24 metres of debris. 4-millimetre pipes inserted in the tunnel. While laying the fifth pipe a stone came in the way hampering the rescue operation.
Another auger machine was airlifted from Indore. NHIDCL said that a big crack has appeared in the tunnel. Therefore, based on the expert's report, the operation was immediately stopped.
November 18: Drilling of debris not started yet. According to the experts, the vibration generated by the American auger machine could result in more debris falling which may bring trouble for the trapped workers.
It was decided to work on five plans simultaneously, including horizontal drilling from the upper part of the tunnel.
November 19: Drilling work remains suspended. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari arrives to review the rescue operation. He says that horizontal boring with huge auger machines seems to be the best option. Success is expected within two and a half days.
November 20: Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and reviewed the progress.
Rescuers lay a six-inch wide pipeline among the debris facilitating delivery of food and other essential items to the workers trapped inside. However, horizontal drilling was not resumed till then. Tunnelling experts were called from abroad.
November 21: First visuals of the trapped labourers emerge and the worried family members heave a sigh of relief.
Explosions carried out at the Balkot-end of the tunnel, due to which the process of digging another tunnel started. NHIDCL restarted horizontal boring operation from Silkyara end.
November 22: Horizontal drilling of steel pipes reaches about 45 metres. With just 12 metres of distance remaining the drilling is hampered again after some iron rods cme in the way of the auger machine.
November 23: Drilling is delayed due to iron rods which were removed later and the rescue work resumes. Boring had to be stopped again after cracks appeared in the platform on which the drilling machine rests.
November 24: The shaft and blade of the auger machine gets damaged and stuck in the rescue tunnel being built.
November 25: BSNL sets up communication for the trapped labourers to contact their family workers. A landline phone connection was also set up.
November 26: The plasma cutter required to take out the damaged part of the auger machine reaches the accident site. Parts of the broken auger machine were necessary to remove to pave the way for manual drilling and pushing of pipes which is in the final stretch. The process of vertical drilling into the tunnel begins.
Arrangements were made to supply oxygen, electricity and supplies to the workers in the tunnel through air-compressed pipes.
Many agencies including NDRF, SDRF, BRO, Chardham project agency NHIDCL and ITBP take part in the rescue efforts.
November 27: Rat-hole mining experts arrive at site. A team of 12 rat-hole rat-hole miners begins the process of manual drilling and excavation for the last 10- to 12-metre stretch of debris.
November 28: Manual drilling continues, rescuers insert pipe upto 52 metres inside the tunnel with 57 metres being the breakthrough point.