Uttarkashi tunnel rescue operation: Plan B on after machine failure
The rescue mission to save 40 workers stuck in a collapsed tunnel in Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi has encountered a roadblock as the plan to drill through debris with a 35 horsepower (hp) auger machine proved unsuccessful. The rescue team is now relying on a 175hp auger machine, which was flown in from Delhi. In addition, the Uttarakhand government is considering seeking assistance from specialized rescue teams in Norway and Thailand to evacuate the trapped laborers.
Why does this story matter?
A portion of the 4.5km tunnel between Silkyara and Dandalgaon on the Brahmakhal-Yamunotri National Highway collapsed on Sunday. In the first two days of the rescue operation, officials employed large excavators, which failed to clear the rubble. Following this, the 35hp auger machine was deployed. In case the new 175hp machine doesn't suffice, the officials would have to turn to conventional drilling using the pipe roof umbrella method as the last resort, which could take five to six days.
What happened so far
Initially, debris blocked a 60m stretch of the tunnel around 270m from its mouth on the Silkyara side. Rubble spanning around 20m was cleared as officials shifted to the trenchless method, under which the auger machine tried to drill through the debris and push 900mm steel pipes to create a passage for the workers to crawl out. However, a landslide on Tuesday night hit the operation, following which the machine and the platform installed for it had to be dismantled.
Now, what's rescue team's plan B
Earlier, contact was established with trapped workers said to be safe. Now, plan B includes installing a 125mm pipe, already inserted 12m deep, to supply oxygen, food, and water. The nine-ton 35hp auger machine was brought in from Vardhman Engineering Works, Dehradun. Meanwhile, the Indian Air Force's two Hercules C-130 planes transported the 175hp "state-of-the-art" American-made horizontal dry drilling auger machine weighing 25 tons. Officials are hopeful it would do the job, but it will also require a new platform.
Help from international experts
Moreover, Uttarakhand officials have reached out to a Thai rescue company that saved children trapped in a cave in 2018 and the Norwegian Geotechnical Institute (NGI). Twelve junior football players and their coach stuck in Thailand's Tham Luang Nang Non were rescued after 18 days. Officials are also reportedly seeking specific suggestions for the rescue operation from the NGI along with the Indian Railways and its associated organizations. The NGI is already working separately with Arunachal Pradesh and Kerala governments.
