Watch: First visuals of workers trapped inside collapsed Silkyara tunnel
Rescuers achieved a breakthrough after pushing a six-inch pipe through the rubble
Rescuers achieved a breakthrough after pushing a six-inch pipe through the rubble
Rescuers achieved a breakthrough after pushing a six-inch pipe through the rubble
Rescuers achieved a breakthrough after pushing a six-inch pipe through the rubble
A day after the rescuers achieved a breakthrough by pushing in a a six-inch-wide pipeline through the rubble of the collapsed Silkyara tunnel through which they provided hot food, the focus now is on getting live visuals of the 41 workers.
The workers were served hot Khichdi for the first time since they were stranded, on Monday. Food, mobiles and chargers will also be sent into the tunnel through the six-inch lifeline.
A six-inch-wide pipeline was inserted through the rubble of the collapsed Silkyara tunnel on Monday, a breakthrough that helped them supply larger quantities of food. On Tuesday, the rescue workers will try to make contact with the trapped workers through a walkie-talkie.
Uttarkashi Superintendent of Police Arpan Yaduvanshi told reporters on Monday that they are trying to find out if a wire can be inserted through the pipeline and if live-streaming is possible. An endoscopy-like camera equipment would be brought from Delhi and sent through the lifeline pipe so that the rescuers and the trapped men could see each other.
Though communication was happening, the six-inch pipe was considered a major upgrade as mobile phones could be sent. All these are expected to have a good psychological impact on them.
Meanwhile, it is unclear whether the horizontal boring has restarted. The drilling was stalled after a boulder appeared to block the progress of the heavy-duty auger machine. An official statement said this was scheduled to begin on Monday evening.
Vertical drilling continued on Monday as heavy machinery to dig a vertical rescue shaft, possibly around 80 metres deep, reached the site. A road to the hilltop has been laid and the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) is arranging for more equipment.
The Indian Air Force C-17 and two C-130J Super Hercules transport aircraft are being deployed to airlift 36 tonnes of critical equipment on Monday. The work has begun on drilling from the other side, the Barkot-end, of the tunnel.
International tunnelling expert Arnold Dix is at the disaster site to review rescue efforts. He heads the Geneva-based International Tunnelling and Underground Space Association.
Meanwhile, the Uttarakhand state government is likely to submit a report to the High Court, after the state's top court sought replies from the state government and central agencies within 48 hours on the ongoing operation and measures taken to rescue the workers. The court's direction came on a PIL related to the rescue operation at the Silkyara tunnel. It was filed by Dehradun-based NGO Samadhan.