Uttarakhand tunnel collapse: Multi-pronged operation underway to rescue trapped workers

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Authorities have launched multi-pronged operations to rescue the 41 trapped workers from the Silkyara tunnel in Uttarakhand. Both manual and vertical drilling works are being carried out at similar paces from inside the tunnel and atop the hill respectively.

Pipes have been inserted up to 52 metres through the rubble at Silkyara tunnel, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said on Tuesday as efforts to rescue the 41 workers trapped there continued for the 17th day.

Over 12 rat hole mining experts have been employed in the horizontal excavation efforts who have been working their way through the last 10 or 12-metre stretch of debris of the collapsed portion of the under-construction tunnel on Uttarakhand’s Char Dham route since Monday.

However, officials part of the vertical drilling team said that the work undertaken from the mouth of the tunnel is seen as the more feasible rescue option and that it will be completed faster than vertical drilling.

“All the experts have been working for a long time. 52 metres of drilling work has been done, everyone is fine, everyone is full of energy. We hope the work will be completed as soon as possible. The manner in which the work is ongoing, we hope that there will be a breakthrough very soon,” Dhami said.

Meanwhile, talking to ANI, Micro tunnelling expert Chris Cooper said, “It went very well last night. We have crossed 50 metres. It’s now about 5-6 metres to go…We didn’t have any obstacles last night. It is looking very positive.”

Rat-hole miners are carrying out the manual drilling work which has been going on since Monday night. The debris thus generated is taken out manually using ropes from the rescue pipe.

With inputs from agencies



from Firstpost India Latest News https://ift.tt/uKfBXgI
Ayndrila Banerjee

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