Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami visited the Silkyara tunnel on Saturday to oversee the ongoing rescue efforts. Speaking to the media, Dhami emphasized Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s sensitivity to the situation, assuring that detailed daily updates on the trapped workers are being provided to the Prime Minister. Expressing optimism, Dhami stated, “We will soon be successful in evacuating the labor brothers safely.”
In a social media post, Dhami conveyed the Prime Minister’s involvement, stating, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi is very sensitive towards the workers trapped in Silkyara, Uttarkashi Tunnel. The Prime Minister is taking detailed information every day about the well-being of the workers and the ongoing relief and rescue operations in the tunnel. Central agencies, state administration, and teams of international experts are working on all options, and we will soon be successful in evacuating the labor brothers safely.”
International tunnel expert Arnold Dix, contributing to the rescue efforts, highlighted the breakdown of the Auger machine and ruled out the possibility of a new auger machine. Dix emphasized the existence of multiple rescue options, stating, “There are multiple ways. It’s not just one way. At the moment, everything is fine. You will not see the augering anymore. Auger’s work is finished. The auger (machine) has broken. It’s irreparable. No more work from Auger. No more drilling from the Auger. There will not be a new auger.”
Dix confidently asserted, “I am confident that 41 men are coming home,” adding that the safety of the workers is paramount, and multiple options are being considered based on the behavior of the mountain.
As challenges persist, the Sutlej Jal Vidyut Nigam (SJVN) team is on standby for vertical drilling. The team is prepared for drilling pending an official order. A proposal for vertical drilling has been submitted, and the SJVN official mentioned, “We have given a proposal to the administration to do vertical drilling in 5 to 6 days; our team has done the survey for drilling, and our drilling machine has also reached the spot. We are just waiting for the order.”
Manual drilling is set to commence once the heavy-duty Auger drilling machine is removed. Officials explained that obstacles encountered during drilling with the Auger machine have led to delays in the rescue operation. Manual drillers will work to clear the remaining debris and facilitate the insertion of the pipeline for the final stretch.
The rescue operation, now in its 14th day, aims to bring out 41 workers trapped in the Silkyara tunnel since the collapse on November 12. Despite challenges, officials remain hopeful and refrained from providing a specific timeframe for the completion of the mission. The use of ground-penetrating radar (GPR) technology has aided in assessing the tunnel conditions, providing valuable insights for the ongoing rescue efforts.
