On the day of Diwali, a sudden landslide occurred in the Silkyara Tunnel of Uttarkashi and 41 laborers working there got trapped inside. The debris was so huge that a rescue operation was being carried out for the last 11 days to rescue the workers. Teams are carrying out rescue operations in the tunnel day and night.
At the same time, drilling has been done up to 45 meters in the tunnel with the auger machine. A total of 57 to 60 meters of drilling is to be done. Officials say that if everything goes well, the rescue operation is expected to end by tonight.
Initially, the number of workers trapped in the tunnel was said to be 36. Then their number was said to be 40. A week later, the company said that 41 people were trapped.
Indian Army, NDRF, SDRF, BRO, NHIDCL, Uttarakhand Police, SJVNL, RVNL, Larsen & Toubro, THDC, Disaster Management Department, District Administration, ONGC, ITBP, State PWD, DRDO, Transport Ministry, Home Guards are involved in the rescue operation.
Six plans are being worked on for the rescue operation. A plan was prepared for drilling with an auger machine from the mouth of the tunnel, drilling from the market end, drilling from the top and right and left sides of the tunnel, and drilling from the top of the tunnel.
The team of experts also used state-of-the-art technologies. Two 70 kg robots of DRDO had reached here, but due to the sandy soil, they could not move. Here an attempt was made to take pictures with a drone, but it was not successful.
Prof. Arnold Dix, President of the International Tunnelling and Underground Space Association, was also summoned. Additionally, this is where the squad that rescued the workers in the Himachal tunnel catastrophe was summoned.
The crew achieved success late on the ninth day, and the workers received delivery of the second six-inch food pipe. Khichdi for eating and mobile phone chargers were transported through this conduit late in the evening.
On the 10th day, the endoscopic flexi camera was delivered to the workers trapped in the tunnel. Rescue workers kept trying to contact the trapped workers through walkie-talkies.
Today some laborers complained of stomach upset and pain, for which medicine has been sent. Besides, some necessary clothes, brushes, and pastes have also been sent to the workers. NDRF and SDRF have started audio communication to talk to the workers. The microphone and speaker have been shipped inside.
