Uttarakhand tunnel collapse: NDRF sees success of rescue mission by day-end, rescuers may take more time to reach workers

According to Harpal Singh, an expert and the project head of the under-construction Zoji-la Tunnel project in Kashmir, an NDRF team is taking lead in the rescue operation and all necessary medical arrangements have been done alongside deployment of doctors for health check-ups of the workers.

Uttarkashi: The rescuers, who have claimed significant headway into the search operation for 41 trapped workers, exuded confidence over reaching the Silkyara tunnel in Uttarkashi sooner rather than later as authorities kept 41 ambulances ready for carrying the evacuees to their desired destinations under the supervision of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Djami who is now camping at the site.

Member of the National Disaster Management Authority Lt General Syed Ata Hasnain said, "This is challenging work. To keep expecting that rescue will be done in the next two hours. This is wrong and exerts pressure on the workforce. In this situation, both the trapped workers and the rescue team are at risk. We have to cater for the safety of both."

Giving an update on the rescue operation, DG of NDRF, Atul Karwal said "The work of the auger machine has started again and pipes are being inserted. We are hoping that we will not face any more obstruction. The SDRF team and all other rescuers are ready. We have also conducted a rehearsal. We will also be able to rescue workers from a narrower pipe. We have also customised our equipment, we have put wheels under the stretcher for a quicker rescue operation."

• #WATCH | Uttarkashi (Uttarakhand) tunnel incident | Uttarkashi SP Arpan Yaduvanshi says, "...Our post-rescue action plan is ready. We will take the workers through the green corridor with a police escort and make sure that the best possible treatment is being provided to them. I… pic.twitter.com/lZjmYOi8xB

  — ANI (@ANI) November 23, 2023 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="

  #WATCH | Uttarkashi (Uttarakhand) tunnel incident | Uttarkashi SP Arpan Yaduvanshi says, "...Our post-rescue action plan is ready. We will take the workers through the green corridor with a police escort and make sure that the best possible treatment is being provided to them. I… pic.twitter.com/lZjmYOi8xB

  — ANI (@ANI) November 23, 2023

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  #WATCH | Uttarkashi (Uttarakhand) tunnel incident | Uttarkashi SP Arpan Yaduvanshi says, "...Our post-rescue action plan is ready. We will take the workers through the green corridor with a police escort and make sure that the best possible treatment is being provided to them. I… pic.twitter.com/lZjmYOi8xB

  — ANI (@ANI) November 23, 2023

As the rescuers went for the final push on Thursday morning, to rescue the workers, who have been trapped since November 12 when the under-construction tunnel from Silkyara to Barkot got blocked due to debris falling in a 60-meter stretch on the Silkyara side, hope floated for safe evacuation of workers. Chinook helicopter, which will land in Chinyalisaud shortly, is set to be pressed into action in case workers need to be airlifted.

Earlier, Harpal Singh, who is also the Project Head of the under-construction Zoji-la Tunnel project in Kashmir, said, "We have inserted pipes 44 meters via horizontal drilling. However, we have found some steel rods in the debris. The machine couldn't cut those rods. Therefore, NDRF personnel will cut those rods following which we will use the machine again. The rescue operation of 41 trapped workers is in full swing and we expect them to be evacuated in a day or two" He continued, "I have full confidence that steel pieces can be cut within an hour and in the next 5 hours two pipes can be pushed in and the rescue operation could start.

• #WATCH | Uttarkashi (Uttarakhand) tunnel rescue | Girish Singh Rawat, one of the members of the rescue operation team says, " Rescue operation is almost in the last stage, I hope the result will come in 1-2 hours...pipeline is being inserted to take out the workers...the steel… pic.twitter.com/Wp9EL5yZ5n

  — ANI (@ANI) November 22, 2023 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="

  #WATCH | Uttarkashi (Uttarakhand) tunnel rescue | Girish Singh Rawat, one of the members of the rescue operation team says, " Rescue operation is almost in the last stage, I hope the result will come in 1-2 hours...pipeline is being inserted to take out the workers...the steel… pic.twitter.com/Wp9EL5yZ5n

  — ANI (@ANI) November 22, 2023

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  #WATCH | Uttarkashi (Uttarakhand) tunnel rescue | Girish Singh Rawat, one of the members of the rescue operation team says, " Rescue operation is almost in the last stage, I hope the result will come in 1-2 hours...pipeline is being inserted to take out the workers...the steel… pic.twitter.com/Wp9EL5yZ5n

  — ANI (@ANI) November 22, 2023

He hoped rescuers would be able to reach the trapped workers by 8:30 am. Earlier on Wednesday, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel entered the tunnel, an official statement issued by Uttarakhand Chief Minister's Office said. An ambulance is also deployed inside the tunnel and a team of doctors is also put on stand-by for health check-ups of the workers, it said. "Silkyara rescue operation is now in the final stages.

The NDRF team is deployed to rescue the workers. An ambulance is deployed inside the tunnel and a team of doctors is deployed in the CHC located at Chinyalisaur for health check-ups of the workers. Chief Minister Pushkar Dhami himself is also present in Uttarkashi," the official statement said. The rescue operation has been ongoing for the past 12 days. A 41-bed hospital readied at the Community Health Centre in Chinyalisaur for medical examination and care of trapped workers after they are evacuated from the Silkyara tunnel in Uttarkashi. NDRF personnel also carried oxygen cylinders at Uttarkashi's Silkyara tunnel to assist in the ongoing rescue operation. The area of entrapment, measuring 8.5 meters in height and 2 kilometres in length, is the built-up portion of the tunnel, offering safety to the labourers with available electricity and water supply.

• #WATCH | Uttarkashi (Uttarakhand) tunnel rescue | DG NDRF, Atul Karwal says "Auger machine has started operating again. We are estimating to send 2-3 pipes of 6 metres inside. Hopefully, by the end of the day, if we do not get any obstacles, the rescue operation will be… pic.twitter.com/OMuwxBf5i5

  — ANI (@ANI) November 23, 2023 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="

  #WATCH | Uttarkashi (Uttarakhand) tunnel rescue | DG NDRF, Atul Karwal says "Auger machine has started operating again. We are estimating to send 2-3 pipes of 6 metres inside. Hopefully, by the end of the day, if we do not get any obstacles, the rescue operation will be… pic.twitter.com/OMuwxBf5i5

  — ANI (@ANI) November 23, 2023

  ">

  #WATCH | Uttarkashi (Uttarakhand) tunnel rescue | DG NDRF, Atul Karwal says "Auger machine has started operating again. We are estimating to send 2-3 pipes of 6 metres inside. Hopefully, by the end of the day, if we do not get any obstacles, the rescue operation will be… pic.twitter.com/OMuwxBf5i5

  — ANI (@ANI) November 23, 2023

Former advisor to the Prime Minister's Office, Bhaskar Khulbe who reached the Silkyara tunnel collapse site said on Thursday that the entire steel structure obstructing the free movement of the pipe inside has now been removed as part of the rescue operation of the 41 workers. The workers have been trapped for 12 days after a portion of the under-construction tunnel collapsed on November 12.

Meanwhile, the work of laying a 12-meter pipeline is still left at the Silkyara tunnel in Uttarkashi to rescue 41 workers, said Colonel Deepak Patil who is leading the rescue efforts of the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL). The workers have been trapped since November 12, when the under-construction tunnel from Silkyara to Barkot got blocked due to debris falling in a 60-meter stretch on the Silkyara side. The work of laying down two pipelines is still left and their length is approximately 12 metres, Patil said on Thursday morning.

News agency ANI quoted Uttarkashi SP Arpan Yaduvanshi as saying,"Our post-rescue action plan is ready. We will take the workers through the green corridor with a police escort and make sure that the best possible treatment is being provided to them. I think they will be taken to Chinyalisaur and then if necessary to Rishikesh. Some VIP movements are going to take place. Union Minister General VK Singh (Retd) and Secretary, North will also be coming."

Girish Singh Rawat, one of the members of the rescue operation team also said the rescue operation is almost in the last stage. "I hope the result will come in 1-2 hours...pipeline is being inserted to take out the workers...the steel pieces that were stuck in the debris were cut and removed," he told ANI.

Temporary hospital set-up

A temporary hospital was set up on Nov 22 for emergency medical assistance of trapped workers. National Vaccine Van was also called at the rescue site for emergency medical urgency on the orders of the CMO. Earlier on November 12, 2023, a collapse occurred in the under-construction tunnel from Silkyara to Barkot due to debris falling in a 60-meter stretch on the Silkyara side. The area of entrapment, measuring 8.5 meters in height and 2 kilometres in length, is the built-up portion of the tunnel, offering safety to the labourers with available electricity and water supply. On November 14, rescuers attempted 'horizontal drilling' and fed trapped workers with solid cooked food simultaneously. Five agencies--ONGC, SJVNL, RVNL, NHIDCL, and THDCL--have been assigned specific responsibilities, working collaboratively with occasional task adjustments for operational efficiency, the government said.