In a race against time, rescuers are putting all their efforts into evacuating the 41 workers, who have been trapped since November 12 in the Silkyara tunnel in Uttarkashi. According to the officials, the vertical drilling from the top of the drill makes a swift process as 31 metres of the drilling has been accomplished so far out of the 86 metres needed to reach the workers.#WATCH | Uttarkashi Tunnel Rescue | Efforts continue to retrieve broken parts of the Auger machine at the Silkyara Tunnel where 41 workers have been trapped since November 12 pic.twitter.com/vX6HztTn22— ANI (@ANI) November 27, 2023Vertical drilling process starts Reportedly, the drilling process is being done to lay an 800/900 mm or 1.3 m diameter pipeline to aid the rescue.#WATCH | Uttarkashi Tunnel Rescue | The 1-2 meter damaged part of the 1.2-meter diameter pipeline laid through horizontal drilling is now being removed by rat miners through manual drilling.Outside visuals of Silkyara Tunnel from earlier today. pic.twitter.com/R4NAn6Pr1X— ANI (@ANI) November 27, 2023Notably, this option of drilling vertically was chalked out after the auger machine used to cut the debris horizontally broke down.What happened to American auger machineThe American auger machine that was stuck in the debris of the tunnel has been completely cut with a plasma cutter, as per the sources.The front part of the American Auger machine is stuck in the pipeline. Efforts are underway to remove the debris and the front part of the machine, the officials said.In the process of cutting and removing the American Auger machine, a 2-metre portion of the last part of the pipeline (i.e. 48 to 50 meters) has also been twisted.Further, the officials also noted that the cutting and removing process of the pipeline is also been a big challenge for them, adding that it is difficult to give an exact time frame when the manual drilling work will start.When rescue operation will be completedThe National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL), the drilling work is expected to be completed by November 30.Addressing a press conference in Uttarkashi on Sunday, NHIDCL Managing Director Mahmood Ahmad said, We have to drill around 86 meters to be done within four days that is by November 30. Hopefully, there will be no further hurdles and the work will be completed on time.On the issue of escape passage, Mahmood Ahmad said, We too thought about this issue. A committee has been formed over this and the findings will be out. As of today, our first goal is to safely bring out our 41 workers.Army steps in to rescue workersA unit of Madras Sappers has been mobilised to speed up manual drilling operations at Uttarakhands flood-ravaged Tapovan tunnel rescue site.30 personnel of the elite engineer regiment joined efforts on Sunday alongside civilian workers. They will employ hand tools like hammers and chisels alongside heavy machinery to break through the debris trapping over 40 labourers since the tunnel collapsed on November 12.“The joint team will dig out rubble inside the tunnel and install pipes to remove hindering material,” an official coordinating the complex rescue effort said. However, lack of access and inhospitable conditions continue to hamper progress.
