Uttarakhand Tunnel Collapse: All Hands On Deck For Rescue Operations

Making an all-out effort for the rescue operations, the government is working on all possible fronts to save the precious lives of the labourers trapped in the tunnel at Silkyara, Uttarakhand.

In a high level meeting on Saturday (18 November), various options were examined based on technical advice and five options are being pursued.

In addition to these five options, couple of additional pipes for redundancy of food support would also be put up.

NHIDCL, ONGC, SJVNL, THDC and RVNL have been assigned one option each. BRO and construction wing of Indian Army have also been assisting in the rescue operation.

Mahmood Ahmed, MD, NHIDCL, has been made in-charge for coordination with all the central agencies and has been stationed in Silkyara.

Government of Uttarakhand has made Neeraj Khairwal, Secretary, as the Nodal Officer for coordination. All the agencies concerned have posted senior officers at site. Government has given a clear direction that whatever is possible, needs to be done for the rescue operation.

After the incident on 12 November 2023, the state government and the government of India mobilised resources immediately. Senior Officials from NDRF, SDRF, NHIDCL, RVNL, SJVNL and state government officials reached the spot immediately.

It was decided to lay a pipe through the muck as it was the best and fastest possible solution as per the experts’ advice. However, after initial attempt to lay pipe with Auger machine available with UK Jal Nigam, it was decided to get bigger American Auger Machine, which was air-lifted from Delhi with the help of the Indian Air Force.

Another Auger Machine was airlifted from Indore. However, on 17 November, there was a sound of earth movement and the sensors corroborated movement of earth and it became unsafe to continue with this option without securing the structure.

Considering the lives involved, it was decided to move on all possible fronts together so that the workers can be rescued as early as possible.