“Uttarakhand Tunnel Rescue Resumes After Drilling Halt: 41 Trapped Workers Await Extraction”

The intensive rescue mission to extricate 41 workers trapped inside Uttarakhand’s Silkyara tunnel faced a temporary setback when drilling operations were briefly halted due to a snag with the auger machine. However, the rescue operations have swiftly resumed to bring the operation closer to its final stage.

Here’s an overview of the latest updates on this crucial development:

1. National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) member, Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Syed Ata Hasnain, warned of potential additional obstacles in the ongoing drilling process, emphasizing the unpredictability of the operation’s timeframe.
2. NDMA made arrangements with 41 ambulances stationed at the tunnel site, ensuring swift medical aid for the trapped workers. Additionally, preparations for airlifting severely injured workers have been arranged.
3. National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) Director General Atul Karwal revealed the strategy for rescuing the trapped workers: using wheeled stretchers through a pipe being drilled to reach the workers.
4. NDRF personnel will enter the pipe and navigate to the trapped workers, then systematically transport each worker out using wheeled stretchers.
5. The delicate extraction process involves securing each worker on a stretcher to prevent injuries while maneuvering through the narrow pipe, requiring meticulous handling by the NDRF personnel.
6. Lt. Gen. Hasnain addressed a possible low-intensity earthquake incident, emphasizing its unrelated nature to the ongoing rescue operations.
7. The National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) recommenced horizontal drilling using an Auger boring machine from the Silkyara end to facilitate the rescue efforts.
8. The rescue operation encountered a temporary obstacle identified as a lattice girder rib, which was promptly removed using gas cutters, allowing the extension of the rescue pipe.
9. The government has deployed a comprehensive action plan involving five agencies, each allocated specific responsibilities to aid in the rescue efforts.
10. The Silkyara tunnel, a pivotal segment of the Char Dham all-weather road project, remains the focal point of the rescue operation situated approximately 30 km from Uttarkashi.

The collaborative efforts and meticulous planning by various agencies underscore the determined drive to ensure the safe rescue of the trapped workers from this critical tunnel collapse.

Sources By Agencies