Uttarakhand Tunnel Collapse: Rescuers Plan To Vertically Drill 80 Metres By Thursday To Save Trapped Workers

The 41 workers, who have been trapped for over 380 hours or sixteen days in a collapsed tunnel in Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand, will have to wait several more days or potentially weeks before a successful rescue can be conducted.

After repeated setbacks, the vertical drilling operations began yesterday (26 November) from the hilltop above the collapsed part of the tunnel. By the day's end, the rescue team had managed to drill almost 20 metres into the side of the mountain.

Mahmood Ahmed, the Managing Director of National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL), has stated that the drilling process is expected to be successfully completed by Thursday, assuming there are no unexpected hindrances.

As the vertical drilling process continues, 700-mm wide pipes are being carefully inserted by the workers to establish a safe corridor for those stuck within the tunnel. At the same time, a 200-mm probe is also being advanced into the tunnel, which has now reached a depth of 70 meters.

The heavy American auger drill, which was earlier employed to penetrate almost 60 metres of rubble, sustained damage on Friday after inserting rescue pipes for a distance of around 45 metre and is currently being removed. The remaining 10-15 metres now requires breaking down with manual power tools, a notably longer process.

Workers are accessing the incomplete escape route, fitted with a steel slide, to disassemble the stuck auger blades and shaft.

On Sunday morning, a plasma cutter was flown in from Hyderabad, accompanied by a team of specialists from the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Army engineers from the Madras Sappers. They arrived at the site and by evening, they were close to completing the extraction of the auger shaft, with only the final 8.15-metre segment left to be removed.

The rescue team is set to implement a fresh strategy, which involves manual drilling to clear the remaining 10 to 12 metres of debris.

One rescuer will work inside the established steel chute, operating a drill, while another will employ a pulley system to dispose of the debris produced. In addition to this, rescue officials have said that they are contemplating other methods of extraction.

Starting Tuesday, rescue workers will begin excavating a 180-meter horizontal alternative escape tunnel into the hillside, a process that could take anywhere from 12 to 14 days to finish. Progress is being made on the Barkot-end of the tunnel, with approximately 10 meters of the total 483 meters drilling already completed. Officials estimate this approach could necessitate up to 40 days of drilling.

The workers who are trapped are situated in a section of the tunnel that spans two kilometres and is still structurally sound. They are being supplied with food, medical necessities, and other essentials via a pipe that is six inches in diameter. A communication system has been established to allow these workers to maintain contact with their families.

At the entrance of the tunnel, forty-one ambulances are stationed, prepared to rapidly transport the workers to the Chinyalisaur Community Health Centre after rescue. A specific ward has been arranged with 41 beds, each equipped with oxygen, ready to offer immediate medical attention to every worker.

The Silkyara tunnel, which is a crucial component of the Char Dham all-weather road project initiated by the central government, is located approximately 30 km away from Uttarkashi.