Uttarkashi.A significant breakthrough has been achieved in the successful rescue operation of 41 laborers who were trapped in the Silkyara Tunnel Collapse in Uttarkashi. A substantial portion of the American auger machine, which had become lodged during tunnel excavation and pipe installation, has been extracted using a plasma cutter.
Simultaneously, repair work on the American drilling machine is underway. Rescue officials have indicated that the remaining operations are scheduled to commence at 12:30 pm, raising hopes for the prompt extraction of the trapped workers.Currently, the workers are only 10 to 12 meters away from freedom. The tunneling efforts were temporarily halted on Friday when the front part of the auger machine collided with iron and concrete, resulting in a breakage.
In a late evening press briefing on Sunday regarding the Silkyara Tunnel Rescue Operation, Uttarakhand Secretary Dr. Neeraj Khairwal explained that the process of cutting the blade and section of the auger machine stuck in the pipe is progressing rapidly. He noted that the removal of the remaining 8.15 meters of the blade and the softer section of the auger machine had been completed.
Additionally, Mahmood Ahmed, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Government of India, and MD of NHIDCL, provided an update, stating that vertical drilling efforts are advancing swiftly. As of now, 19.2 meters of vertical drilling has been completed, with ongoing work proceeding cautiously.
Uttarakhand BJP State President Mahendra Bhatt reassured the public that the entire machinery is operating at full capacity for the rescue mission. Machines from various parts of the country and abroad have been mobilized, and the evacuation of all individuals is expected to be completed soon.