Uttarkashi tunnel collapse: Rescue operation to take 24 hours
Rescue teams are working on evacuating 40 laborers trapped inside an under-construction tunnel in Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi district as rescue efforts entered the third day on Tuesday. The state government has constituted a six-person expert panel to examine the situation as officials said the rescue operation might take 24 hours or more. Officials are planning to horizontally drill a hole in the heap of debris and push pipes with 900mm diameter for the trapped workers to squeeze through and come out.
Why does this story matter?
The 4.5-km tunnel on the Brahmakhal-Yamunotri National Highway is one of the longest under the Char Dham highway project. It is planned to connect Silkyara and Dandalgaon, reducing the distance between Uttarkashi and Yamunotri Dham by 26km. On Sunday morning, a portion of it collapsed, around 270m from the entrance on the Silkyara side. Rubble spanning 40m reportedly blocked the tunnel, of which 21m of debris has been removed, while the workers have a 400m buffer to move around.
Team from Jharkhand on way to assist in rescue
Among the trapped workers, 15 are from Jharkhand, eight from Uttar Pradesh, five from Orissa, four from Bihar, three from West Bengal, two each from Uttarakhand and Assam, and one from Himachal Pradesh. Teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), and the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) are currently engaged in the rescue operation. Meanwhile, a three-member team from Jharkhand has left to assist in the rescue efforts.
Exact cause of collapse yet to be ascertained
A platform is reportedly being set up for an auger machine to drill horizontally and push the pipes through the debris. Essential equipment and materials have arrived at the site, and experts from the Irrigation Department have also joined the operation. Early reports suggested a landslide caused the collapse, but officials are investigating to determine the exact cause. Notably, a Supreme Court-appointed expert panel surveyed the area a few years ago and warned tunneling in the Himalayas was extremely risky.
Visitors hampering rescue efforts
Meanwhile, officials asked people not to visit the site as visitors were hindering rescue efforts. On Monday, communication was established with the trapped workers, who reportedly indicated they were safe by releasing water using a submersible pump. Rescue teams have established communication with the workers using walkie-talkies. The laborers were provided oxygen, food, and water through the debris on Monday. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has visited the site to take stock of the situation.
