Uttarkashi tunnel rescue to save 41 workers enters day 9
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has spoken to Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami to take stock of the ongoing operation to rescue 41 workers trapped in a collapsed tunnel. Vertical drilling machines are set to reach the site in Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand, via road as the rescue operation entered the ninth day on Monday. Officials said a track had also been laid to the top of the hill for vertically drilling a shaft down the tunnel, PTI reported.
Why does this story matter?
On November 12, a portion of the 4.5km under-construction Silkyara tunnel, part of the Char Dham all-weather road project, collapsed. The government is looking at a five-pronged operation after initial plans to drill through the fallen rubble horizontally failed. The operation was put on hold on Sunday. The operation has hit multiple roadblocks, and the well-being of the trapped workers is raising concerns as the operation's end is still not in sight.
5 agencies assigned responsibilities for rescue operations
Five organizations, including Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), Sutluj Jal Vidyut Nigam (SJVNL), and Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL), have been tasked with the rescue efforts. They also include National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) and Tehri Hydro Development Corporation Limited (THDCL). The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) and the Indian Army's construction division are also contributing to the mission. As rescue teams work tirelessly for a breakthrough, trapped workers are being supplied with food, water, and oxygen.
Centre explores 5 alternatives for tunnel rescue
The strategy comprises the SJVNL conducting vertical drilling from the tunnel's top and the RVNL creating another vertical pipeline for essential supplies. The ONGC is set to begin drilling vertically from the other end of the tunnel, opening toward Barkot. The NHIDCL will drill from the Silkyara end with safety measures provided by the Army, with the THDC micro-tunneling from Barkot using heavy machinery. The drilling equipment is being brought by road since it is too heavy to be airlifted.
Kin of trapped workers anxious over delay in rescue
Rescue still days away
As anxious families gathered outside the tunnel, doctors stressed the necessity for comprehensive rehabilitation for the trapped workers. They are concerned that extended confinement might necessitate both mental and physical recovery processes. Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, on Sunday said the trapped workers could be rescued in two-and-a-half days while Bhaskar Khulbe, former advisor to the prime minister, said the operation could take another four to five days.
