ANI
21 Nov 2023, 19:48 GMT+10
New Delhi [India], November 21 (ANI): The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) on Tuesday said that the most 'focused effort' of rescuers working at the Silkyara tunnel collapse site is the 'horizontal drilling' through the Auger machine to evacuate the 41 workers trapped for 10 days in the 2-km-built portion of the under-construction structure.
Member NDMA, Lt Gen (Retd) Syed Ata Hasnain, said that the efforts to rescue the trapped men is underway from five sides but the best possible method is the horizontal drilling from the Silkyara end of the tunnel.
As per the rescue plan, the 900 mm pipes will be pushed in using the horizontal drilling equipment to create an escape for the workers.
"The most focused effort is horizontal drilling through the Auger machine, which is being explored. It started working on November 16 and it has reached 21-22 metres," he said in a press briefing.
The collapse occurred on November 12 during the construction of a tunnel from Silkyara to Barkot, trapping 41 labourers due to a muck fall in a 60-metre stretch on the Silkyara side of the tunnel.
The NDMA official said that on November 12, the tunnel caved in, trapping the 41 workers inside the 2 km-long portion of the tunnel. He said that the other Barkot side of the tunnel was already closed, as work on that side had not yet started.
"So that end is also closed. As a result, the workers are trapped between the cave-in and the other end (the Barkot side), which is yet to be accessed," Hasnain said.
"At present, different agencies, NDRF, ITBP, Army engineers, SDRF, fire and emergency services, Border Roads Organisation and other technical agencies of the Central government are working there," he said.
The NDMA member said that when a tunnel rescue takes place, it is a very serious and challenging effort.
"Around 3-4 international experts have also come to the site. The government has made sure that wherever we have knowledge of experts, those experts have flown in and are available for advice," he said.
Meanwhile, he said that a top attack, vertical drilling, to pull out the trapped labourers is also being explored. "For that, the Border Road Organisation has made a road and equipments are being taken there," Hasnain said, adding that the priority of the government is 'lifesaving'.
The official went on to add that a 4-inch pipe was available from the beginning, through which rations were made available for the survival of the trapped men.
Notably, the workers were provided food items and medicines through a 4-inch compressor pipeline until Monday, before the rescuers achieved a breakthrough by laying an alternative 6-inch-wide lifeline pipe through which hot meals like Khichdi in cylindrical plastic bottles were sent to labourers for the first time later.
The NDMA official said that a few families of the trapped men hailing from different states have been moved and accommodated in the local hotels near the site.
"Among the trapped labourers, two belong from Uttarakhand and Assam each, one from Himachal, eight from Uttar Pradesh, five each from Bihar and Odisha, three from West Bengal, and the most from Jharkhand (15)," he said, adding that most of the state governments have sent their representatives at the site.
He also said that the families are also being allowed to talk to their trapped loved ones through the 4-inch compressed pipe.
"The more families talk to the people, the better will be the morale and the better will be the survivability," he said.
Moreover, the NDMA member said that another horizontal drilling is being tried from Barkot's side. "But it is time-consuming," he said, adding that the already drilled 22 metres against the 60-65 metres through Auger machine, which has been recommenced, is the best possible method to rescue the labourers.
Earlier in the day, the International Tunnelling and Underground Space Association president Arnold Dix, who has been roped in as part of the ongoing rescue efforts at the Uttarkashi tunnel collapse site, said that the 900 mm pipes pushing is the fastest means to get the men out.
"I think the team here have done a wonderful job. It's just fantastic. The 900 pipeline is one of the options. The 900 pipe which is there, which I've seen, and I'm going to go have another look at this morning. It's by far the best and fastest means to get the men, but it has its technical difficulties and that's why we're doing multiple rescue missions," Dix told ANI.
Earlier today, rescuers managed to insert an endoscopy camera into the tunnel and first visuals captured showed the 41 workers had ample space inside the tunnel for them to move about.
Visuals of workers trapped inside for the past 10 days emerged on Tuesday morning, has given new hope to worried relatives, some of whom are camping outside the site of the collapsed tunnel structure. (ANI)Get a daily dose of Cape Town Express news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Cape Town Express.
More InformationCONCORD, New Hampshire: A federal judge in New Hampshire issued a crucial ruling on July 10 against President Donald Trump's executive...
DUBAI, U.A.E.: A cargo ship flagged under Liberia, known as the Eternity C, sank in the Red Sea following an attack executed by Yemen's...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: The Trump administration has started sending some weapons to Ukraine again, just a week after the Pentagon told officials...
ECAULT BEACH, France: On clear days, the white cliffs of the United Kingdom, are visible from northern France, where men, women, and...
ATLANTA, Georgia: The United States is facing its worst measles outbreak in more than three decades, with 1,288 confirmed cases so...
In the past month alone, 23 Israeli soldiers have been killed in Gaza—three more than the number of remaining living hostages held...
RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil: At a two-day summit over the weekend, the BRICS bloc of emerging economies issued a joint declaration condemning...
London [UK], July 13 (ANI): As India gears up for a potential big chase at the iconic Lord's Cricket Ground, the historical odds offer...
New Delhi [India], July 13 (ANI): Devon Conway, Mitch Hay, Jimmy Neesham and Tim Robinson set to join the New Zealand T20I squad for...
Hohenstein-Ernstthal [Germany], July 13 (ANI): The wet weather has come to play on Saturday at the Liqui Moly Grand Prix of Germany,...
Melbourne [Australia], July 12 (ANI): Australia made changes in their squad for the upcoming T20I series against West Indies as they...
BEIJING, July 12 (Xinhua) -- In today's fractured world, dialogue based on mutual respect is the right path forward, said Gert Grobler,...