Uttarkashi: Rescue operations to bring out 41 workers trapped in Uttarakhand’s Silkyara collapsed tunnel entered the 12th day on Thursday. The last pipe to prepare an escape passage for trapped workers is being pushed in through rubble in the final stage of operation. Arrangements have been made to provide immediate medical care to workers after they are evacuated. The drilling of 800 mm diameter steel pipes through the rubble had hit a minor hurdle late Wednesday when some iron rods came in the way of the auger machine.
These workers have been trapped inside an area, measuring 8.5 meters in height and 2 kilometers in length for the past 12 days, after a collapse occurred in the under-construction tunnel from Silkyara to Barkot due to debris falling in a 60-meter stretch on the Silkyara side. Among 41 trapped, 15 workers hail from Jharkhand. The state government is planning to airlift all 15 who are from Giridih, Ranchi, East Singhbhum, and Khunti districts of Jharkhand. Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren expressed concern yesterday over delay in rescue of trapped workers. He said, “Ten days have passed since the collapse in the tunnel. But there is no surety when the workers who are trapped will come out.”
Union Minister General VK Singh arrived at Silkyara tunnel site in helicopter where rescue efforts to take out trapped workers. Chief Scientist and tunnel expert from Roorkee, RD Dwivedi arrived at Silkyara tunnel site today. Dwivedi said, “A total of three people have come here from CIMFR Roorkee. We are tunnelling experts and we will take an update of the rescue operation going on here.”
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