Uttarakhand Tunnel: Vertical tunneling initiated to reach 41 trapped workers; new road expected today
Silkyara tunnel collapse site in Uttarakhand's hilly district Uttarkashi since last Sunday.
Rescuers, including geologists, engineers, tunnelling experts and geotechnical experts, have been exploring various options to evacuate the 41 labourers who are trapped inside the collapsed tunnel.
Till Saturday afternoon, the road ahead for the rescuers turned more difficult after a loud cracking sound they heard at the site a day earlier. The drilling exercise has already come to a halt.
Officials on Saturday began preparations to drill a vertical hole from the top of the hill and held out the hope that the Border Roads Organisations (BRO) road to create an alternative route to the under-construction tunnel would be ready by Sunday afternoon.
Meanwhile, Chris Cooper, a micro tunnelling expert, has reached the tunnel collapse site on Saturday to assist in the rescue efforts, according to media reports. A chartered engineer from Australia, Chris is internationally known for delivering major civil engineering infrastructure, metro tunnels, railways, and mining projects.
Tunnelling experts from Norway and Thailand among countries have also been consulted.
Rescuers have been mainly fighting a three-pronged battle-to ensure survival of the trapped labourers through continuous supply of oxygen, food, electricity, and water to them inside the collapsed tunnel; consider various options to ensure their safe evacuation, and most importantly, avoid any chance of further collapse of any other portion of the under-construction tunnel during use of heavy equipment. Any further collapse could endanger the lives of the trapped labourers.
Apart from oxygen, small food packets and drinking water are being supplied to the trapped labourers
