Uttarkashi: The rescue operation to safely bring out the workers trapped in the tunnel of Uttarkashi was stopped for some time on Friday afternoon. This step has been taken after debris fell on the drilling machine being used to rescue the workers trapped in the tunnel. As soon as the fifth tube was inserted into the tunnel, debris started falling on the machine. Soon after, rescue workers came out of the tunnel and the operation was stopped for about an hour. According to sources, it is being said that the American auger machine being used in the rescue operation has developed a technical fault. The machine is not able to move forward. The bearing of the machine is going bad. In such a situation, now the machine is being installed on the platform by installing anchor.
It is being said that till now the machine has been able to drill and lay pipes only up to 24 meters. So far on Friday, only six meters of pipe has gone inside the tunnel. Meanwhile, advanced auger machine is being brought from Indore. According to the report, the survey team is also exploring a vertical approach of 103 meters. If this rescue operation fails then an attempt will be made to go vertical.
The workers are trapped about 200 meters from the entry point of the tunnel. Where the workers are trapped, there is more than 50 meters of debris right in front of them. The difficulty for the rescue team is that this part of the tunnel is very weak. As soon as an attempt is made to remove the debris to rescue the workers, the debris again falls into the tunnel. Now 800 and 900 mm wide steel pipes are being inserted between this more than 50 meter long debris. Efforts are being made to pull out the workers one by one from inside by inserting steel pipes across the debris.
Uttarkashi District Magistrate Abhishek Ruhela said that officials are in constant touch with the stranded workers and are asking them not to lose patience. The official statement said that despite being in Indore, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami is continuously monitoring the rescue operation in Silkyara.
These workers are fighting the battle of life and death in the tunnel. Food and medicines are being supplied to the workers trapped in the tunnel. The rescue team is holding regular talks with the workers, so that the workers remain hopeful of survival. On the other hand, efforts are also underway to make a pass to evacuate the workers. For this, a heavy drilling machine was airlifted from Delhi through one of the three transport aircraft of the Air Force.
A 4.5 km long tunnel is being built between Silkyara and Dandalgaon on Brahmakhal-Yamunotri National Highway. On November 12, a part of the tunnel collapsed. Due to this the workers got trapped inside the tunnel. Rescue operation is going on for five days to free them. But no significant success has been achieved so far. On the other hand, some workers also protested near the tunnel and accused the rescue of being slow
