The pipe being pushed into the debris to rescue the stranded workers is about ten meters away now
Thursday, 23 November 2023 | PNS | DEHRADUN
The heavy augur machine deployed to push a 800 mm diameter steel pipe through the debris in Silkyara tunnel is now moving closer to the stranded labourers. The rescuers are now hoping that they will be able to evacuate the labourers by Thursday.
Informing about the progress of the operation, the former advisor of Prime Minister and officer on special duty (OSD) of Uttarakhand government Bhaskar Khulbe said that augur machine has resumed the drilling and a six meter pipe has been pushed inside the debris on Thursday which is in addition to 39 -meter which has already been drilled. He said that 45- meter drilling into the debris has been completed so far. Khulbe said that the drilling has entered into an important phase. The Managing Director (MD) of National Highways Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL), Mehmood Ahmed said that the 800 mm diameter pipe has been pushed into the 900 mm diameter pipe using a telescopic method. This pipe was earlier pushed into the debris to a length of 39 meters but due to breakdown of the drilling machine, the plan to push it further into the remaining part of the debris was cancelled. The augur machine has now resumed operation and drilling at a fast pace is underway in the remaining area. The total thickness of the debris from the Silkayara end which has trapped the labourers is about 55 meters which means that the rescue team is moving closer to them. Ahmed added that from the Badkot end, the work of horizontal drilling is also underway and on Thursday a third blast was done. He said that eight meter drilling has been accomplished from this end also.
The secretary, Uttarakhand administration Niraj Khairwal said that an audio communication set up has been put in place in the tunnel with the help of NDRF and SDRF to communicate with the trapped labourers. Use of wire, microphone and speaker has been made in the set up. He said that with the help of this set up the labourers interacted with a doctor one by one on Wednesday. Khairwal said that necessary medicines are being sent inside the tunnel for the labourers. Towels, brush and small clothes too are being given to them through the six inch diameter pipe. In view of the mental stress on the trapped labourers, a psychologist also interacted with them on Wednesday. The labourers are trapped inside the tunnel from the day of Deepawali ( November 12) and the rescue team is hoping that it will reach them and evacuate them on Thursday ( November 23) which happens to be another festival, Egas, celebrated in the mountainous areas of the State.
