Uttarkashi tunnel operation in last stage, rescue soon
The rescue mission to save 41 workers trapped in a partially collapsed tunnel in Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi for 12 days is reportedly in its final stage. According to rescue teams, only about 10 meters of debris remain between them and the trapped workers. The teams encountered metal rods and other obstacles in the debris that bent the alignment of the steel pipes inserted to evacuate the workers. A team of experts has been called in from Delhi to correct it.
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A portion of the 4.5km under-construction tunnel between Silkyara and Dandalgaon, part of the Char Dham all-weather road project, collapsed on November 12. Debris spanning over 60m near the mouth of the tunnel on the Silkyara side trapped the workers. Auger machines were brought in to drill through the wall of debris and insert steel pipes to create a passage for the workers to crawl out. The physical and psychological state of the workers remains the prime concern now.
12m of pipeline remains to be laid
So far, 44 pipes have been placed after horizontal drilling. Colonel Deepak Patil, leading the rescue efforts of the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL), said two pipes, with a combined length of 12m, remain to be laid. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams used gas cutters to remove metal rods from the debris. Once the alignment of the linearly joined steel pipes is corrected, the rescue work will resume around noon, The Times of India reported.
Doctors to go in before evacuation to assess workers
Once the rescue pipe reaches the trapped workers, an NDRF doctor will go in to assess their condition and instruct them on how to crawl through the pipes, which have sharp edges at the welded joints. Stretchers have been kept on standby, with 41 ambulances waiting outside the tunnel. The workers will be closely monitored by NDRF personnel as they make their way through the pipe. The workers will be transported to a temporary hospital in Chinyalisour for thorough examination.
CM Dhami reaches Uttarkashi
Uttarkashi District Magistrate Abhishek Ruhela has reached the site, while Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Dhami has arrived in Uttarkashi. The rescue operation has faced challenges due to the Himalayan region's topography and soil composition, causing frequent obstacles and slow progress. While rescue teams are hesitant to provide an exact timeline for completion, they hope to bring the workers out within the next few hours if all goes according to plan.
