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Uttarakhand Tunnel Rescue Ops Highlights: Tunnel Drilling Work Halts Again After Obstruction
Uttarakhand Tunnel Rescue Ops Live: Follow this space for all latest updates on rescue operation of 41 workers trapped inside Silkyara tunnel in Uttarkashi.
Background
Uttarakhand Tunnel Rescue Ops Live: The rescue operations to safely evacuate the 41 workers trapped after a part of an under-construction tunnel collapsed in Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi entered 11th day on Wednesday....More
Drilling at Uttarkashi tunnel to evacuate trapped workers halted again, news agency PTI reported.
International expert Arnold Dix says auger machine drilling through rubble at Uttarkashi tunnel is experiencing 'some difficulties' again.
Lt General Syed Ata Hasnain, a member of the National Disaster Management Authority, said, "If no hindrance comes in the way and the auger machine continues to function at its speed of 4-5 metres per hour, then I can say that maybe tomorrow during the day, you can receive the good news...," he can be heard saying in a video posted by ANI on X.
Locals established the Baba Baukhnag temple at the rescue site, news agency PTI reported.
Horizontal drilling to rescue workers from Silkyara tunnel may face 3-4 more hurdles: NDMA member
Union minister Gen. VK Singh (Retd) along with a few senior officials enter Uttarkashi's Silkyara tunnel where the operation to rescue trapped workers has intensified.
Visuals from inside the pipeline laid inside the Silkyara tunnel to rescue the 41 workers.
Former advisor to PMO, Bhaskar Khulbe said: "We have reached 45 metres. The hurdle that caused an issue last night, has already been removed. It takes 4 hours to push a 6-metre pipe, so to reach 18 metres, it will take us around 12 hours and it can take 3 hours more to complete the remaining work. Our priority is to give full attention to the health of the workers trapped inside. There is a very good communication link established between us and the workers. We are taking every possible assistance and expert advice required to carry out the rescue operation as early as possible."
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami offers prayers at a temple that has been built at the main entrance of the tunnel where rescue operations to bring out the trapped workers are underway, says CMO.
NDRF DG Atul Karwal says the auger machine has resumed the drilling after an iron mesh halted the process.
"The auger machine has started working again. So, the girder that had come infront of it has been taken care of through the night and now we have started the drilling process," says Karwal.
"The first pipe after that obstacle has been pushed through and now the second pipe in being welded. The process has started in full swing," he adds.
Union minister VK Singh and Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami inspect the tunnel site.
Former advisor to the prime minister's office Bhaskar Khulbe says that removing the iron mesh that obstructed the drilling has delayed the rescue operation by 12-14 hours, so it will take some more time to reach the workers.
Khulbe said removing the mesh in a claustrophobic environment inside the pipe was difficult.
"It took us six hours to remove it. But the good news is that we have cleared the hurdle which came yesterday after drilling up to 45 metres had been done," Khulbe told reporters.
IG Garhwal Range KS Nagnyal says that the workers will be taken to hospital through green corridor once they are rescued from the tunnel.
"We have made all the arrangements for ambulances...We'll take them (trapped workers) from the site to the hospital through green corridor," says the IG.
"As per the doctor's advice, we can also airlift people if those who are trapped are in serious condition...If they need better medical assistance, they'll be taken to AIIMS, Rishikesh. The entire state is on its toes," he adds.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, who reached tunnel site earlier today, said: "45 metres of pipeline has been laid through auger machine. The rescue is at its final stages. There are some obstacles,. but I hope that the workers are rescued as early as possible. Post-rescue preparations have been done. Ambulances and Hospitals are ready for their check-up and treatment. PM Modi is taking updates on the rescue every single day. He took the update today as well. Our experts are working day and night to rescue the workers..."
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has arrived at Silkyara tunnel site where efforts are underway to rescue 41 trapped workers.
International tunneling expert Arnold Dix who arrived at the site suggests that the rescue teams have reached close to the trapped workers. "At the moment, it's like we are there at the front door and we are knocking on it," Dix tells ANI, adding: "We know that the guys are there on the other side. I am going to have a look and see what is happening..."
Uttarkashi DM Abhishek Ruhela who has reached the tunnel site says little work is left to do.
"We have covered a majority of the distance and there is little work left. Our teams are continuously trying to overcome the technical problems that we are facing," says the DM.
"We are taking advice from experts and skilled persons, some of whom are also called to the spot. It is not possible to say when will the rescue end but the work is continuously going on and it is being monitored by the state and the central govt. We are getting all the possible help from the Govt of India," he adds.
The relatives of the trapped workers who are anxiously waiting for the safe return of their loved ones say they will celebrate Diwali and Chhath after the labourers are rescued safely.
Chief Scientist and tunnel expert from Roorkee, RD Dwivedi reaches the site with his team. "A total of three people have come here from CIMFR Roorkee," says Dwivedi. "We are tunnelling experts and we will take an update of the rescue operation going on here," he adds.
Welding experts from Delhi have arrived at the site who will weld the MS pipe inside the tunnel. "We are here to weld MS pipe inside the tunnel. Five welders have come here for the same...We'll do it with the help of welding machines," welder Radhe Raman Dubey tells ANI.
The Chief Minister's Office says that the rescue operations are in final stage and Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami is himself present in Uttarkashi.
Prayers are being offered at a temple built at the main entrance of the tunnel where rescue operation is being carried out to safely take out 41 trapped workers.
Preparations are now underway in Uttarkashi for post-rescue efforts which imply medical examination of the trapped workers for which medical equipment has been brought to the site. Ambulances are also lined up and beds have been prepared at hospital for the treatment of the labourers.
As the workers are now expected to be out anytime soon, ambulances have been lined up at the rescue site and beds have been prepared in the nearby hospital for the treatment of the 41 trapped workers.
Here are the latest visuals from the rescue site where efforts are being made to safely take out 41 trapped workers.
Uttarkashi District Magistrate Abhishek Ruhela has arrived at the site where efforts are underway to rescue 41 trapped workers.
Central trade unions have said the Silkyara Tunnel collapse in Uttarakashi exposes the "callous attitude" of the government towards the safety and health of the workers. A joint statement issued by 11 trade unions and sectoral federations said the Platform of Central Trade Unions and Sectoral Federations/Associations expresses their anguish at the failure of the authorities to take responsibility for the tunnel collapse, PTI reported. Among the signatories are All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC), Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS), All India United Trade Union Centre (AIUTUC), Self-Employed Women's Association (SEWA), Trade Union Coordination Centre (TUCC), All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU), United Trade Union Congress (UTUC), Labour Progressive Federation (LPF), and independent Sectoral Federations and Associations, the report noted.
"NDRF is quite confident, they will cut the steal and machine (gas cutter) will work...I feel that approximately by 8 am in the morning, the entire rescue operation will be completed," ANI quoted Harpal Singh, one of the rescue team members as saying.
"Pipe has covered 44 metres and it has to go 12 metres more. The only obstacle right now is that a few steel pieces have come into the debris...so steel pieces are being cut now. I have full confidence that steel pieces can be cut within an hour and in the next 5 hours two pipes can be pushed in," he added.
Ambulance with medical equipment arrived at Silkyara tunnel site as rescuers draw closer to 41 trapped workers, PTI reported.
National Vaccine Van arrives at the collapse site in Uttarkashi, ANI reported.
The Silkyara rescue operation is now in the final stages. NDRF team is deployed to rescue the workers. An ambulance is deployed inside the tunnel and a team of doctors is deployed in the CHC located at Chinyalisaur for health check-ups of the workers. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami himself is also present in Uttarkashi: CM Office Uttarakhand said, reported ANI.
NDRF personnel entered Silkyara tunnel as operation to rescue 41 trapped workers intensified, ANI reported.
Ambulances reached the collapse site where drilling is underway to reach the 41 workers trapped inside the collapsed tunnel in Silkyara for 10 days, PTI reported.
Rescue operation continues in Silkyara. On Tuesday, officials had said that the auger machine will be put back into operation after the 800-mm diameter steel pipes are pushed through the 900-mm diameter steel pipes already laid through the rubble using the telescopic method, PTI reported.
News agency PTI shared visuals of NDRF officials at rescue operation site in Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand where 41 workers are trapped since November 12 following the collapse of an under-construction tunnel.
Rescue operations intensified at Silkyara tunnel collapse site. Horizontal pipe inserted up to 42 metres, a statement issued by the government said.
A video shared by news agency ANI showed food being packed for the workers trapped inside the Uttarkashi tunnel. The food will be sent to the workers through a 6-inch pipeline.
The brother of a trapped worker, Vikram said: "My younger brother is trapped inside. Yesterday, around 6:30 pm, I had a conversation with him. His health is fine, and he is getting food to eat. Fruits have been sent down... He asked about mother and father..."
Sunita Hembram whose brother-in-law is among the 41 workers trapped inside the tunnel said that he is stable and healthy. "I had a conversation with my brother-in-law who is trapped here. He is stable and healthy. The workers have received food, clothes and other items. Hopefully, they will be rescued by the morning tomorrow. The doctors also had a conversation with the trapped workers," Sunita said.
Additional Secretary Technical, Road and Transport Mahmood Ahmed says, "An additional 800 mm pipe has also been pushed 21 metres inside the tunnel. Around 12:45 am, we started drilling through the auger machine and so far, we have pushed three more pipes."
"As long as we reach 45-50 metres inside the tunnel, we will not be able to give you the exact time. We are also doing horizontal drilling, we have entered around 8 metres from there as well," Ahmed said.
Major Naman Narula of the Border Road Organisation says the construction of the access road of vertical drilling has been completed and handed over to the rescue agencies.
"Our task was to give an access road for vertical drilling which was at the Silkyara end of the tunnel wherein a track of 1150 m was to be created which we did and hand it over on November 20... At the end of the track, two vertical drills are to be done, one machinery has reached the site out of two," says Narula.
"Our second task was to give an access road towards Barkot which is the other end of the tunnel so the survey for that ended yesterday and the machinery has reached the ground today..."he adds.
Vivek Srivastava, Commander 36 BRO says the machinery has reached the site at Silkyara end and the process for drilling has started. Srivastava says that the work on Barkot end will begin today.
Former advisor to the Prime Minister's Office, Bhaskar Khulbe and Uttarkashi District Magistrate Abhishek Ruhela visited the Silkyara Tunnel site on Wednesday.
An ambulance driver tells ANI that 4 ambulances have arrived at the rescue site and 35-36 ambulances will soon reach from Dehradun, Haridwar, and Tehri.
"Four hours before the rescue operation begins, all the ambulances will be lined up here...A total of 40 ambulances will be lined up here," says driver Naveen.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami for the third consecutive day reviewing the rescue progress.
"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.
A machine that was being brought for the rescue operation was stuck due to the road being narrow has now reached the Silkyara tunnel.
The location for vertical drilling has been identified by the rescue teams, reports ANI.
While rescue agencies are finding ways to safely take out the trapped labourers, people have resorted to faith for the safety of the operation and the labourers. Prayers are being offered at a temple that has been built at the main entrance of the tunnel where rescue operations to bring out the trapped workers are underway.