Silkyara Tunnel Collapse: Rescue operations in Uttarkashi nears end, trapped workers to be freed soon
Silkyara tunnel in Uttarkashi, rescue efforts have reached their conclusive phase. A senior officer overseeing the operation confirmed that the team aims to reach the 41 workers who have been trapped since November 12 by Thursday morning. The blockage, caused by debris along a 60-meter stretch on the Silkyara side, prompted a challenging rescue operation.
«We have inserted pipes 44 meters via horizontal drilling.
However, we have found some steel rods in the debris. The machine couldn't cut those rods. Therefore, NDRF personnel will cut those rods following which we will use the machine again,» said rescue officer Harpal Singh, who is also the Project Head of the under-construction Zoji-la Tunnel project in Kashmir.
«I have full confidence that steel pieces can be cut within an hour and in the next 5 hours two pipes can be pushed in and the rescue operation could start,» he said late Wednesday night.
Notably, Chief Minister Pushkar Dhami is on-site in Uttarkashi, underscoring the gravity of the situation. The operation, ongoing for the past 12 days, gears up for a crucial phase, aiming to bring relief to those stranded inside the tunnel's confines.
Plans include a dedicated hospital setup at the Community Health Centre in Chinyalisaur to ensure thorough medical assistance post-evacuation.
