Uttarkashi tunnel collapse: Govt says 'might reach trapped workers in two and a half days if...'

livemint.com:

PTI. 2) The Tehri Hydroelectric Development Corporation was set to begin “micro tunneling" Sunday night from the Barkot end of the under-construction tunnel on the Char Dham route, part of which collapsed on November 12. 3) Boring through the debris of the collapsed 60-meter stretch from the Silkyara end was put on hold Friday afternoon when the American-made heavy-duty auger machine encountered a hard obstacle after about 22 meters, PTI reported. 4) In addition, the Rail Vikas Nigam Limited has begun work on a vertical pipeline for supplying essential items after the completion of the approach road to the top of the hill.

5) The multiple-pronged approach now being adopted follows a series of setbacks after a portion of the Silkyara-Barkot tunnel collapsed the previous Sunday morning, blocking the way out for the workers who were ending the night shift. 6) Road, Transport and Highways Secretary Anurag Jain on Sundays said that the government has undertaken a five-option action plan to rescue 41 workers trapped at Silkyara Tunnel in Uttarkashi since November 12. 7) Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari on Sunday visited the collapsed tunnel spot and said boring horizontally through the debris with the huge auger machine appeared to be the best bet.

He anticipated a breakthrough in two and a half days. 8) "Saving the trapped workers and evacuating them at the earliest is the biggest priority. Preparations are underway to restart the auger machine and resume drilling and pipe-laying at the tunnel," Gadkari said.