The operations to rescue the over 40 workers stuck inside the Silkyara Tunnel at Uttarkashi in Uttarakhand resumed on day five on Thursday. Officials in charge of the rescue work said the American auger machine, flown in from Delhi on Wednesday night, has already been installed.
The heavy drilling machine was airlifted from Delhi by three IAF transport aircraft on Wednesday to replace the smaller auger equipment couldn't do the task.
The PRO of National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited, the company executing the tunnel project, said the rescue mission will succeed soon. "We have the support of the administration and we will succeed. The machine is 99.99% installed. Don't get misled by disinformation. All workers are fine. As far as we now, they don't need any medical help. We, however, have a team here," PRO Girdharilaal told reporters.
The American auger machine will be used to drill through the rubble of the tunnel's collapsed portion. Steel pipes of diametre 800-mm and 900-mm diameter will be inserted one after the other. The workers trapped on the other side of the rubble can crawl out to safety via these pipes.
The rescue plan faced trouble after the first drilling machine proved slow. Fresh landslides also hampered the process.
However, drilling expert Adesh Jain, a part of the rescue team, told ANI that there was no machine failure. "The rubble has fallen six times till November 14 and its span increased to 70 metres. My machine can only work up to 45 metres and that's why the government arranged a big machine with a capacity of around 70 metres," Jain said, adding that he hoped the operations will be completed by Thursday night.
#WATCH | Union Minister General VK Singh (Retd) arrives at Silkyara tunnel in Uttarkashi to review progress of the ongoing rescue operation to save the lives of 40 workers stuck inside the tunnel following land slide pic.twitter.com/9W1CdqBCLr
— ANI (@ANI) November 16, 2023
Union Minister General V K Singh has arrived at the site to take stock of the operations. "Rescue operation is underway, we have full hope. We are trying our best," he told reporters.
The officials said the labourers were safe, and oxygen, electricity, medicines, food items and water were being supplied to them through pipes. Dharam Singh, father of one of the labourers trapped inside, saidhe communicated with his son, who is trapped inside the tunnel. My 20-year-old son Vijay Kumar is trapped inside the tunnel. I spoke to my son for a little while and I gave him courage and assured him that everything would be fine and he would brought out by this evening. Food and water are being provided to him in small quantities," Dharam Singh said.
