Efforts to rescue 40 trapped laborers beneath the debris of a collapsed tunnel face challenges in Uttarakhand. A recent landslide at the site, coupled with technical issues in a drilling machine intended for creating an escape passage, has impeded the operation for the past three days, officials report.
Despite the hurdles, the trapped laborers remain safe, receiving a continuous supply of oxygen, electricity, medicines, food, and water. Unfortunately, a setback occurred when rubble from the landslide disrupted operations and injured two rescue workers, now under treatment at a makeshift hospital.
To overcome the technical challenges, a new platform is under construction inside the tunnel to accommodate another drilling machine en route to the site. Additional equipment is being airlifted from Delhi to support the ongoing rescue efforts, but the existing drilling machine is grappling with technical glitches, complicating the insertion of steel pipes through the tunnel’s debris.
In response to the situation, discussions have taken place with the Indian Air Force, with plans to dispatch larger machines from Delhi to expedite the evacuation of stranded workers. Ashok Kumar, Uttarakhand’s Director General of Police, stated that talks are underway, and swift actions are anticipated.
The incident occurred on Sunday when portions of the under-construction Silkyara tunnel, integral to the ambitious Chardham All Weather Road project, collapsed due to a landslide. As rescue operations face hurdles, authorities are mobilizing resources and seeking alternative solutions to ensure the safe retrieval of the workers at the earliest possible time.
