Uttarakhand tunnel collapse update | Kin losing hope as 41 workers remain trapped; officials plan to drill vertical hole from hill's top

Uttarakhand tunnel collapse update: Rescue teams in Uttarakhand are engaged in a race against time, working tirelessly to evacuate 41 construction workers who have been stuck under the debris for over 170 hours following a devastating tunnel collapse. Their prolonged entrapment is a growing concern, raising worries about their deteriorating health and well-being.

Notably, a portion of the under-construction tunnel connecting Silkyara to Dandalgaon collapsed last Saturday evening. A part of the tunnel broke about 200 metre ahead of the starting point on the Silkyara side of Brahmakhal-Polgaon. This under-construction tunnel is a part of the ambitious Char Dham project, aiming to enhance connectivity to revered Hindu pilgrimage sites like Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri.

Efforts to free the trapped workers have intensified, with officials planning to drill a vertical hole from the hill's top where the workers remain confined within the collapsed tunnel. This strategic drilling aims to establish a communication passage and offer aid to the workers, who have been enduring limited food supplies and communication access.

Commencing Saturday evening, preparations to create a platform for the vertical drilling were initiated following the arrival of a high-performance drilling machine from Indore, Madhya Pradesh.

In a concerted effort to expedite the rescue operation, a team comprising officials from the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) and field experts are concurrently devising five rescue plans. Bhaskar Khulbe, former advisor to the Prime Minister, highlighted the experts' unanimous decision to pursue multiple plans simultaneously to expedite the workers' rescue.

However, drilling operations encountered an unexpected halt on Friday evening due to a sudden "cracking sound" emanating from the machinery.

In response to the grave situation, the Central Government convened a high-level meeting where diverse rescue options were deliberated upon. Various agencies have been allocated specific tasks pertaining to different alternatives to facilitate the workers' safe retrieval.

NHIDCL's MD Mahmood Ahmedhas been designated as the coordinator for liaison with all central agencies involved in the rescue efforts.

Outside the site, families anxiously await news of their loved ones, their distress mounting with every passing moment. Concerns have been voiced regarding the workers' deteriorating condition, indicating a need for comprehensive rehabilitation considering potential mental and physical trauma from the prolonged confinement.

Medical professionals underscored the urgency of comprehensive rehabilitation measures for the trapped workers. These 41 workers have been trapped since Sunday morning when a section of the tunnel collapsed. Officials have assured that all workers are safe and are receiving sustenance through steel pipes inserted into the tunnel opening.

- With inputs from agencies

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